Cross My Heart
by Blackrose136
Summary: Kanda is missing, Allen is injured, and the Noah family is involved. With no other alternatives, Komui must rely on a new exorcist to save Kanda from the Noah's clutches. Will this new disciple prevail? OC with a tiny bit of romance. Read if you like.
1. Chapter 1: MIA

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** This is my first story on this site, so...yeah.**  
Disclaimer:** The only thing that I have the right to own is the plot and the characters not created by Katsura Hoshino, end of story...

* * *

**Chapter One: M.I.A.  
**

_  
"Komui, Moyashi and I are heading to the church. We're sending the Finder ahead to recover the Innocence while we take care of the garbage."_

Komui frowned as he listened to the message once more. In the background, the Chinese man could hear Allen speaking, as well as loud explosions and cursing, but nothing about Kanda's curt verbal report was out of the ordinary. What was strange was the fact that Allen and the Finder returned through the Ark _without_ Kanda. Allen was unconscious and bleeding heavily from near-fatal wounds, and as Allen was wheeled into the infirmary, the finder found himself being interrogated. The man was badly shaken up, and after three hours of questioning, Komui was nowhere close to the truth. As Kanda had said, the finder had been charged with recovering the Innocence, and once the man found it, he returned to find Allen lying on the ground covered in blood. Kanda's Innocence was stabbed into the ground a few feet in front of Allen, and it pinned the Japanese exorcist's tattered black coat to the bloody soil. According to the finder, there was a small pool of blood near Kanda's sword, but not enough of the sanguine liquid was present to indicate that the Japanese exorcist was dead.

However, something about Kanda's disappearance felt…odd. First of all, Kanda was a fully trained samruai able to wield a sword, as well as use hand-to-hand combat in order to defend himself, and the boy never let Mugen willingly out of his sight unless the sword was being repaired by Komui. The circumstances behind the Japanese exorcist's disappearance didn't add up, and until Allen woke up, Komui could not start investigating. It was all a test of will and patience…which would give out first?

"Supervisor Komui, I heard that one of the exorcists has gone missing."

Komui flinched at the familiar tone. "That is correct, Inspector Leverrier."

"How has the investigation into the disappearance progressed so far?" the Inspector asked while settling himself down on the couch in front of Komui's desk.

"The Finder that was with Kanda-kun and Allen-kun on their mission was quite shaken, and he could only give us a few details about the scene after Kanda-kun disappeared. Once Allen-kun wakes up, I will ask him about the events leading up to Kanda-kun's disappearance. From there, I will send out Lavi, Marie, and Krowley to investigate the—,"

"No," Leverrier interjected, cutting Komui off in mid-sentence. "I want you to send the newest disciple."

Komui paled. "But Inspector, the girl only arrived two days ago from France. She has never been on a mission before, so sending her out alone will only—,"

"Her synchronization rate with her Innocence was over one hundred percent, so fighting the akuma won't be an issue," the Inspector stated, interrupting Komui once again. "That girl needs to show her worth to God," he added with a smirk.

"She won't be able to 'show her worth' if she is dead, Inspector," Komui ground out through clenched teeth.

"You will follow my orders, Komui Lee. Send that girl or I will send Lenalee _alone_ in her place. Which would you prefer?"

"I'll send her out first thing tomorrow morning," Komui murmured after a few silent moments. Leverrier's smirk widened at the defeated expression on Komui's face, and it took all of the Chinese scientist's willpower to refrain from punching the grinning Inspector. Komui quickly immersed himself in his daily paperwork, ignoring Inspector Leverrier, and focused on anything besides what had conspired the past few hours. Ironically enough, Komui actually managed to _finish_ his paperwork, and as he sat back to take a break, Reever skidded into the room with the first piece of good news Komui had heard all day.

"Allen woke up!" the squad leader said with a relieved grin.

Komui smiled as he got to his feet. "If you will excuse me, Inspector," the Chinese man said while heading for the door. The Inspector said nothing as Komui walked past him, but Komui knew the smirk was still present on Leverrier's twisted face. "I hate that man," Komui whispered with a scowl.

"Don't we all?" Reever replied from beside his supervisor as they headed for the infirmary. Komui chuckled, and for the first time in what felt like ages, the Chinese man felt his spirits lifting. He knew the feeling wouldn't last, but it was pleasant nonetheless. Before Komui knew it, he and Reever arrived at the infirmary, and Komui frowned when he heard loud protests and shouts coming from within.

"Allen-kun, you need to rest!" the head nurse said as she held the struggling boy down. Three other nurses held on to Allen's arms and legs, and the boy's struggles grew weaker and weaker as he used up the last of his energy trying to escape. Allen groaned while closing his glazed-over gray eyes, and he winced as fresh blood seeped through the bandages covering his chest.

"Allen-kun, can you hear me?" Komui asked while kneeling down beside the bed. Allen nodded with another wince, and the nurses slowly released the boy's limbs when he made no move to start thrashing about once more. "I know you're in a lot of pain right now, Allen-kun, but I need you to help me. I need you to tell me what happened during your mission," Komui said, taking Allen's trembling hand between his own.

The British exorcist slowly opened his eyes, and Komui noticed a far-away look in the feverish gray irises. "…Kanda and I…figured out the Innocence's…location…in the old church…the bells…sent the finder…ahead…to retrieve it…" Allen whispered between short gasps of breath. His eyes squeezed shut as tears rolled down his pale cheeks, and he bit his lip before continuing. "…We fought…twelve level 2's…four level 3's…but when we…finished those…the Noah appeared…" Allen paused, and he let out a soft cry while clenching a fistful of his shirt with his free hand. "…Lulu Bell…and Tyki Mikk…Tyki Mikk attacked…me…Lulu Bell went after Kanda…I was so tired…couldn't defend well…Kanda…he protected me…Tyki Mikk…'wanted to play'…more…with Kanda…they took him…they took him!"

"It's all right, Allen-kun," Komui said while rubbing the boy's hand. "You've been a big help. We will _definitely _get Kanda-kun back."

"Promise?"

Komui gently wiped away Allen's tears away and smiled. "I promise."

Allen smiled weakly up at his supervisor as his gray eyes closed once again, and the boy visibly relaxed as Komui continued to rub his bandaged hand.

"Allen-kun, you rest. I'll come see you again in a little while," Komui said as he got to his feet. He carefully placed Allen's hand back on the bed before turning towards the door, and as soon as he was out of hearing range of the infirmary, Komui let out a vicious curse while punching the brick wall with all his might. Blood seeped from Komui's split knuckles, but the supervisor could have cared less at that moment. Reever could only watch in silence as Komui's calm mask shattered, leaving the Chinese man shaking with the rage he had carefully pushed away in front of Allen. Komui, the playful, lazy, yet brilliant Komui rarely lost his composure, and it hurt Reever to see his supervisor—his friend—having an emotional breakdown.

"Komui, _everything will be all right_," Reever said after a few minutes of silence. Komui shook his head while turning to face the squad leader. "Kanda is a tough guy, and you know he'll do everything in his power to fight against the Noah, Innocence or not. He won't give up, and neither will we."

"You're right," Komui murmured while stepping away from the wall. "Call the new exorcist to my office. Time is of the essence."

Reever nodded, and he grinned as he turned to head towards the private rooms. Komui went off in the opposite direction with a determined grin on his face, and he went to work as soon as he reached his office.

* * *

As the first rays of sunlight broke through the night's vast shadow, two lone figures approached a small town near the French-Spanish border. The town was sparsely populated, so everyone noticed the two strangers that appeared with the coming day. The smaller of the two newcomers wore a long black coat, and if one looked closely, one could spot the long black object slung across the stranger's back. The other stranger bore an odd-looking box on his back, and he had bandages wrapped around the lower half of his face. Each stranger possessed a Rose cross on their chests, which made the townspeople even more curious. The smaller stranger came to a halt in the main square, and she spoke briefly with her companion before they headed off in the direction of the one place the natives avoided like the plague: the old church.

"Bellerose-dono, Komui-dono wishes to speak to you," Toma said while holding out the phone receiver attached to the box on his back. The girl nodded as she held the object up to her ear.

_"Chloe-chan, you and Toma have arrived at the church, correct?"_

"We have," the girl replied.

_"I wasn't aware of this fact before you two left, but it seems that a gold golem named Timcampy that belongs to exorcist Allen Walker is also missing. That golem has a useful trick that you may find helpful in your investigation."_

"I will search for Timcampy first, and Toma will take the interior of the church. Any other bits of useful information that I need to know?"

_"Be careful, Chloe-chan. I know that your synchronization was well over one hundred percent, but you can still be overwhelmed by akuma."_

Chloe smiled. "I'll do my best, Supervisor. I'll call you again when we conclude our search for the day."

_"Sounds good. Until then."_

With that, Chloe heard the line go dead, and she silently handed the receiver back to Toma while surveying the dilapidated chuch. The roof above the sanctuary had caved in from the elements, leaving the tall bell tower as the only sound structure. Moss and vines covered the ancient stones, and Chloe noticed large cracks in the church's foundation. The sanctuary was separated from the town by a dense forest, and the only road to reach the place of worship consisted of a dirt path worn into the earth by animals and humans over the years. A large river ran alongside the weather-beaten church, and Chloe could see numerous crosses lined up along the riverbed nearest the church.

"Toma, if you don't mind heading into the bell tower, I will search for Timcampy in the forest and riverbed area. I will return to the church around sunset," Chloe stated while reaching into her long black coat. She held out a small circular object to Toma, who immediately pocketed it without question. With a nod, Chloe and Toma started off in different directions to begin their searches.

* * *

As sunset neared, Toma trudged out of the rundown church's bell tower, and he carefully laid the heavy box he carried on the ground before sitting down beside it. The finder glanced over at the forest when he felt a familiar presence nearby, and he recalled the few clues he had managed to find in the bell tower as Chloe walked up to the ancient structure. Toma noticed minuscule rips and large dirt stains all over the exorcist's uniform, and he frowned when he saw the dried blood and dirt on the red head's fingers.

"Toma, what did you find?" Chloe asked while sitting down in front of the finder.

"I found a faint trail of blood leading into the inner sanctuary. It was still fresh. I also found a playing card alongside the blood. And lastly, I noticed drag marks and footprints covered in blood leading inside as well."

Chloe reached into her coat as she stored the finder's information for later use in the back of her mind, and she produced a small white bandanna with the ends tied together to form a crude pouch. "It took a bit to dig him out from under the remains of a level 1, but I believe I managed to find Timcampy," she said as she untied the knot keeping the bandanna closed. As the dirty cloth opened, Toma and Chloe watched in awe as the recovered shattered pieces began to come together, and after a few moments, a brilliant golden golem fluttered in the air between the finder and the exorcist. "Hello Timcampy," Chloe said with a grin. The golem flew around Chloe's head a few times, as if to measure the red head's worth, and ultimately landed softly on top of the exorcist's red hair. Without prompting, the golem opened its mouth, and a clear image of the previously recorded events began to play for Toma and Chloe.

* * *

_"We've got sixteen akumas heading our way, Kanda," Allen said as he activated his Innocence._

_"Che. Small fry, no doubt. They don't want us getting the Innocence," Kanda stated while unsheathing Mugen. Kanda and Allen lunged for the akumas surrounding the church, and after a half hour passed, the two exorcists were facing off against the final two akumas. Allen panted heavily as he blocked the level 3's attacks, and Kanda glanced at the British exorcist while slamming Mugen into the other level 3's head. Before Allen or the other level 3 could attack once again, Kanda brought his Innocence down on the akuma, slicing the killing machine's body cleanly in half. As the two akumas exploded, Kanda sheathed Mugen and turned to Allen. "Moyashi, what's wrong with you?"_

_"It's n-nothing, Kanda," Allen stammered while deactivating his Innocence. Kanda frowned as he stomped towards the British exorcist, but the Japanese exorcist froze in mid-step halfway to his destination and reached for Mugen's hilt. "Kanda, what's—?"_

_Kanda silenced the boy with a glare. "We aren't alone," he said simply as he unsheathed his Innocence once more. "Come out already! We know you're there!"_

_"What gave us away?" a familiar silky voice asked. Allen's gray eyes widened at the sight of Tyki Mikk and Lulu Bell, and he immediately activated his Innocence with a growl. Tyki Mikk feigned a hurt expression as he lunged for Allen, and Lulu Bell frowned while turning to Kanda. The exorcists appeared to have the upper hand during the first few minutes of the fight; Kanda had inflicted a deep wound on Lulu Bell's side, and Allen had managed to hit Tyki Mikk with his evil-purifying sword. However, as the minutes dragged on, Tyki Mikk gradually gained an advantage over Allen. With a cry, Allen flew back from one of Tyki Mikk's attacks, and the boy slammed into a tree with enough force to snap the thick trunk at the point of impact. Allen heard Kanda calling his name as he faded in and out of consciousness, and Tyki Mikk smirked while strolling towards Allen. "What's wrong Allen?" the Noah asked as he grabbed a handful of Allen's coat and pulled the boy to his feet. "The self-imposed sleep-deprivation finally getting to you? I imagine it would catch up with me after an entire week…"_

_"What do you know about me?" Allen spat at the grinning Noah. Tyki Mikk's smirk turned wicked as he leaned towards Allen's face, and the white-haired exorcist shuttered when he felt the Noah's breath on the back of his neck._

_"I know more about you than you think I do, Allen," Tyki whispered. He lazily glanced at his free hand for a moment with a grin, and the Noah chuckled while sliding his fingers diagonally across Allen's chest. Allen's gray eyes widened in shock as blood began pouring from his body from the deep gash Tyki Mikk's fingers left behind, and the British exorcist bit down on a pained cry when he felt the Noah's dangerous fingers slid into his side between his ribs. "You may be the new fourteenth," Tyki Mikk said while twisting his hand, "but you have betrayed the Earl and the rest of the Noah family. The penalty is death, you know."_

_"Moyashi!"_

_Tyki Mikk grinned while leaning to whisper in Allen's ear once more. "However, I'll make you a deal. Give me the sword-wielding brat that killed Skin and I'll let you live today."_

_"Like Hell!" Allen hissed as he slammed his head against the Noah's. Tyki Mikk stumbled back a few steps while Allen slid down the remaining tree trunk, and the Noah's grin turned into a crazed smirk as he stalked towards the British exorcist once more._

_"I don't think you understand, Allen. I'm not asking." Tyki Mikk slammed a foot against Allen's temple, and the bleeding boy's head snapped to the side as his body crumpled to the ground. "I'm telling."_

_"Moyashi, get up!" Kanda's voice rang out a moment later, snapping Allen out of the pained fog over his mind. Allen's eyes widened when he saw Lulu Bell take advantage of Kanda's distraction to land a deep wound across the Japanese exorcist's exposed back, ripping off Kanda's tattered black coat and nearly causing Mugen to fall from his hands. Blood poured from the ragged gash running from Kanda's right shoulder to his left hip, and Allen tried to push himself up, only to find that his body wouldn't respond to his brain's demands._

_"That boy was doing well," Tyki Mikk commented as he slowly walked into Allen's line of vision. "But all good things must come to an end, no?" Before Allen could call out any kind of warning, Tyki Mikk and Lulu Bell surrounded Kanda, and the British exorcist watched as Tyki Mikk and Lulu Bell struck his comrade down with their combined attacks. Lulu Bell grabbed Mugen from Kanda's limp hands and stabbed it into the center of Kanda's fallen coat, and Tyki Mikk smirked while tossing Kanda over his shoulder like a sack of bricks._

_"Wait!" Allen cried as the two Noah began walking away. "Give him back, damn it! GIVE KANDA BACK!"_

_

* * *

_

When recording ended, Toma glanced up at Chloe. The red head stared intently at the ground between them, and after a few silent minutes, she finally made eye contact with the finder.

"Can you show me exactly where you found the blood?" Chloe asked while getting to her feet.

Toma quickly shouldered his heavy box, and he led the exorcist into the decrepit church. After weaving through what was left of the roof, Toma spotted the faint trail of blood once more, and he stepped aside as Chloe came up behind him. The red head slowly climbed over the debris, taking careful precautions not to step in the blood, and she smirked when she approached the large chunk of stone where the trail ended.

"Toma, step back a bit," Chloe said as she reached for the fingerless glove on her right hand. Once the glove was removed, Toma noticed a strange tattoo on the back of Chloe's hand, but his attention soon turned to the glowing characters that had materialized above her uncovered hand. Chloe mumbled foreign words under her breath for a few moments, and the characters gradually grew bigger while circling around her body.

"_On_!" the red head hissed while pointing towards the stone. The characters charged towards the stone, and a large burst of power sent Toma stumbling back a few steps from the force. The stone exploded a moment later, and Chloe slipped the glove back on her hand while stepping into the strange hole of darkness the destroyed stone left behind. "Come Toma. We have work to do," she said before disappearing into the hole.

* * *

Komui glanced up at the clock once again and frowned. It was nearly three in the morning, and he had not received the promised call from Chloe and Toma. Komui squashed the panic bubbling in his stomach, but as he worked, he couldn't help but worry. When the phone rang a few minutes later, Komui eagerly picked up the receiver and waited for the caller to speak.

_"Komui-dono, this is Finder Toma."_

"Toma, thank goodness," Komui breathed while leaning back in his chair. "Are you and Chloe-chan all right?"

_"We are currently in some kind of space created by one of the Noah. Bellerose-dono came to the conclusion that this space is the new Ark the Millennium Earl created after releasing a barrier on a gate hidden in the sanctuary."_

"You two can't go into the Ark alone!"

_"I knew you would say that, Komui."_

"Chloe-chan, the Noah family and the Earl are dangerous. Too dangerous for one exorcist to handle alone."

_"I appreciate your concern, Supervisor, but if we turn back now, the gate will most likely be gone by tomorrow."_

Komui's eyes widened in shock. "How do you know?"

_"I'll explain everything once we rescue Kanda Yuu. Until then, I need you to trust in me, Supervisor. The longer we wait, the more likely we are to be discovered."_

"All right. Just…be careful, Chloe-chan."

_"I will be."_

_

* * *

_

* * *

**So that's all for now...if you like it let me know! If you absolutely hate it, let me know and give me suggestions on how to make it better! Please and thanks! :)**

**04-10-09: I made a few spelling/grammar/random changes. I originally went back to change "Rouvelier" to "Leverrier" since the latter seems to be the correct spelling of the lovely Inspector's name, but if that is incorrect, feel free to let me know.**

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	2. Chapter 2: Crossing the T

**Cross My Heart**

**Quick Author's Note:** Thanks to everyone that reviewed! I didn't expect any feedback, so reading your suggestions (while few in number) was very helpful. I appreciate it! :) So, here we go into the world of Allen's dreams...

**Chapter 2: Crossing the "T"  
**

_"Moyashi!"_

_Allen's skull exploded with pain a moment later, and darkness curled around the edges of the British exorcist's vision. The world turned sideways as he fell to the ground, and his ears rang with the amount of force that had collided with his head. His remaining strength seeped from his body along with the blood from his chest and side, and he was on the verge of giving in to the welcoming darkness that promised no pain or responsibility._

_"Moyashi, get up!"_

_Blood splattered across the ground as Kanda slipped to his knees a few feet in front of Allen, and the white-haired exorcist's gray eyes widened when Tyki Mikk appeared behind the wounded Japanese boy. The Noah smirked while kneeling down beside Kanda, and Allen stared in horror as Tyki slid his hand into the Japanese exorcist's bloody back. Kanda's dark eyes widened, and Allen bit his lip when blood began to escape from the Japanese exorcist's slack mouth._

_"I wonder if destroying his heart will kill him," Tyki murmured while resting his chin on Kanda's shoulder. "He said that he couldn't die, after all."_

_"Stop it!" Allen hissed at the Noah. Kanda's back arched when Tyki's hand slid out of his chest, and his eyes glazed over as his life-blood flowed from his body._

_"I guess he wasn't immortal after all," Tyki said with a shrug. He pulled his hand out of Kanda's body with a sickening 'pop,' and Kanda's body toppled to the ground a moment later._

_Allen's eyes widened when Kanda didn't immediately get to his feet and begin attacking the Noah. "K…Kanda…?" the boy whispered. Kanda didn't respond. He only stared lifelessly up at the sky as blood pooled underneath his body. "Kanda, say something!"_

_"You betrayed us, Allen," Tyki Mikk said while tapping Kanda's body with the tip of his shoe. "This boy paid for your sins with his life."_

_"Kanda, say something…anything!"_

_Tyki Mikk began to laugh. The silky sound was filled with malice and amusement, and the only thing louder than the Noah's laughter was Allen's agonized scream._

_"KANDAAA!!!"_

_

* * *

_

Komui frowned as he watched Allen sleep. Despite the heavy sedatives in his system, Allen was still reduced to feverish, fitful dreams that slowed his recovery rate to an agonizing crawl. His constant thrashing reopened his ghastly wounds, and as his fever continued to rise, the medical staff had no choice but to use restraints on the unconscious British exorcist.

With his right wrist and his ankles attached to the edges of the bed, and his Innocence bound with a powerful ward, Allen seemed even more vulnerable than ever before in his sleep, and Komui wished he could allow the boy to move about freely once more. In the seventy-two hours since Kanda's kidnapping, Allen's condition had grown progressively worse, but Komui refused to just let the boy fall into madness. Komui's persistent optimism paid off, and later in the afternoon of the third day, Allen's fever broke, and the nurses removed the restraints once the boy fell into the restful sleep he desperately need.

"Have you received any more word from Toma and Chloe since they entered the Ark this morning?" Reever asked that evening. They sat on opposite sides of Allen's bed, and they spoke in hushed tones in order to not disturb the sleeping British exorcist.

Komui shook his head. "Nothing. Chloe's wireless communicator signal was lost the moment they finished contacting us, so I have no idea where they are or how they're doing right now."

"I guess we'll have to trust them, as Chloe asked us to," Reever murmured with a chuckle. A soft groan from Allen instantly quieted the two men, and they turned their attention to the boy as his eyes slowly opened.

"…Komui-san…Reever-san…where am I…?"

"You're in the infirmary, Allen-kun," Komui replied while leaning over the boy. "How do you feel?"

"…Tired…sore…thirsty…" Allen muttered as he began to push himself up.

"Take it easy, Allen," Reever said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'll go find a nurse. She'll know what to do."

Reever disappeared from view, and Komui turned to Allen with a relieved expression on his face.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Allen-kun," the Chinese man said softly. Allen managed to bring a weak smile to his lips, and he let out a jaw-cracking yawn while leaning back against the soft white pillows.

"…What about Kanda…?" Allen asked as his eyelids drooped.

"We think that the Noahs may have taken Kanda-kun aboard the Earl's new Ark. Toma and Chloe-chan entered the Ark earlier this morning in search of Kanda-kun."

"Chloe-chan?"

"That's right," Komui said with a chuckle, "you and the other exorcists haven't met Chloe-chan yet. I'll have to introduce her to all of you when she returns with Kanda-kun."

"What is she like?"

"Well…" Komui thought for a moment on how to describe the new exorcist. "Chloe is about your height with wavy red hair, blue-green eyes, and—,"

"I didn't mean her appearance," Allen interjected.

"Oh. In that case, Chloe-chan is very intelligent and mature for her age. She grew up in Andorra, which is a country on the French-Spanish border, so she can speak French and Spanish fluently, as well as English. She is dependent and aloof like Kanda, but she's also pleasant like you and my Lenalee-chan!"

Allen chuckled at Komui's antics. "What's her Innocence like?"

"I have absolutely no idea," Komui answered without hesitation. "Inspector Leverrier was the one that brought Chloe here, and, other than the Grand Generals at Central, no one else has seen her activate. Even Hevleska was baffled. The Innocence is in Chloe-chan's body, but where remains a mystery. Her maximum synchronization rate was over one hundred percent, though, so…we'll see."

"When can I leave?" Allen asked after a long silence.

Komui sent the boy a confused look. "Leave for where?"

"The Earl's new Ark, of course," Allen stated matter-of-factually.

"Allen-kun, you cannot leave yet," Komui said firmly. "Your wounds are still far from healed, and your body cannot handle any stress or you'll relapse again."

"But Kanda—,"

Komui silenced the British exorcist with a glare. "Allen-kun, I understand that you want to get Kanda back. Believe me, I do. However, I _will not_ allow you to jump headlong into something you cannot handle."

"But I can—,"

"You can barely keep your eyes open, let alone stand. What good would you do trying to search for Kanda-kun in your condition?"

"But Komui-san—,"

"No buts," Komui stated while crossing his arms. "You are to remain at Headquarters unless I summon you for a mission. Are we clear, Allen-kun?"

Allen's gray eyes were full of betrayal as he nodded, and Komui bit his tongue to keep from taking back his orders at the downcast expression on the British boy's face.

"We have to believe in Chloe-chan since she is a part of our family now," the Chinese scientist said with a smile.

"I guess you're right," Allen said, returning the gesture with one of his own. His stomach let out a loud growl a moment later, and he and Komui laughed at the irony of it all. "I wonder what's taking Reever-san so long…"

* * *

"Toma, get back!"

The finder immediately dove behind the remains of one of the many white houses lining either side of the Ark, and he watched as Chloe battled the level 2 that had appeared out of nowhere. Since entering the Ark, Chloe and Toma had been constantly encountering akumas, which meant that their entrance hadn't gone undetected by the Ark's inhabitants. That wasn't what worried Toma. What worried him were the obvious signs of fatigue that Chloe exhibited with each akuma she came in contact with. She used no visible weapon to destroy the mechanical killing machines, which forced her to get within a dangerous distance of the akuma and left her vulnerable to attack. The only wounds Chloe had received were minor cuts and bruises, but the longer she fought, the more time it took for Chloe eliminate the akumas. She was obviously expending more energy than she truly had, and without rest, she was going to collapse from exhaustion no matter how strong she was.

"Bellerose-dono, are you all right?" Toma asked once the level 2 was defeated. Chloe stumbled towards the finder's hiding place, and she smiled weakly while leaning back against the ruins.

"I'm fine, Toma," the red head replied as she slid down the crumbling brick wall until she was sitting. "Any word from Komui?"

Toma shook his head.

"Lovely. Well, it seems that we are truly on our own then," Chloe murmured grimly. Timcampy crawled out of his hiding place in the hood of Chloe's torn black coat, and he circled her head a few times before settling down in her hair once more.

"What is our plan, Bellerose-dono?" Toma asked after a long silence.

"Finding Kanda is top priority, and I get the feeling that the moment we manage to find our way out of this crude imitation of a town we'll be attacked once again. We'll have to play it by ear, whether we like it or not," the red haired exorcist replied with a sigh.

"Should we continue moving through the town?"

"That sounds…"

Toma glanced at the red head when she trailed off in mid-sentence. Chloe's blue-green eyes widened a few seconds later, and she dove towards the finder with a curse. The wall Chloe had been leaning against exploded as the exorcist and the finder crashed to the ground, and debris flew in every direction as a cloud of dust billowed from the ruins. Chloe winced as she shook pieces of brick and wood off her clothing, and she let out a few harsh coughs while climbing to her feet.

"Well, well, you aren't the one I was expecting to see."

The voice was a familiar suave baritone, and Chloe let out an involuntary shutter while turning to face the newcomer. Her blue-green eyes narrowed at the sight of the grinning Noah standing only a few feet away, and she silently reached into her coat as Timcampy scampered into her hood once more.

* * *

When Lavi heard that Kanda was missing, he didn't know whether to believe the news or not. Kanda and getting kidnapped just didn't belong together in the same sentence. However, Lavi quickly found out that the Japanese exorcist was not just missing—he had been taken by a Noah onto the Earl's new Ark. The moment the Bookman apprentice returned from his mission three days later, he made his way to Komui's office, ignoring the fact that he had wounds that needed to be treated and a report that had to be written by the next morning. Such petty things could wait. He needed to know exactly what was going on.

As soon as Lavi burst into Komui's messy, paper-strewn office, the Bookman apprentice flung questions at his supervisor left and right, hardly pausing to breathe in the process. Komui and his secretary stared at the red head as he babbled on and on, and once Lavi finished, he collapsed unceremoniously onto the couch sitting in front of Komui's (oddly) clean desk.

"To make the story short, Kanda was kidnapped by Tyki Mikk and Lulu Bell, and Allen-kun was injured by Tyki Mikk before Kanda was taken," Komui said softly.

"Is Allen okay?" Lavi asked while sitting up.

"He is still recovering from his wounds, but now that his fever is gone, he should make a full recovery quite quickly."

"That's good to hear."

"He hasn't gotten much rest since he was admitted into the infirmary, so try not to rile him up when you go see him," Komui said sternly.

Lavi smirked while giving his supervisor a mock-salute. "Aye, aye, Captain!"

"Shut up, Lavi."

"Anyway," the Bookman apprentice began in a serious tone, "how's the investigation going?"

"The newest exorcist, Chloe Bellerose, was sent to investigate the scene, and after finding a hidden gate, Chloe and Finder Toma entered the Millennium Earl's new Ark. We haven't heard from them since they entered the Ark forty-eight hours ago," Komui stated with a frown.

Lavi stared at Komui in confusion. "Did you say that they entered the Earl's Ark? Do you plan on getting them back in one piece?"

"Even though she is a new exorcist, Chloe's synchronization rate with her Innocence was well over the critical point, and even if I wanted to call them back, it's out of my hands."

"Inspector Levellier?"

Komui grudgingly nodded in conformation.

"Is there any way to get us into the Ark?" Lavi knew it was a long shot, but he had to try nevertheless.

"No. Allen can only create a gate when he is physically at the location he wants to connect a gate to. So, unless Chloe can somehow create one to get out—,"

"—Yuu, Toma, and the Chloe girl are all stuck on the Ark."

"Well, not exactly. Chloe has the ability to create a gate like Allen does even though she isn't a Noah." Komui glanced over at his secretary, and she let out a frustrated sigh while heading for the door. Once the door had slammed closed and her footsteps had faded, the Chinese scientist leaned forward and continued. "Chloe can use a long forgotten sorcery that allows her to freely move between dimensions and time itself."

"No wonder Leverrier wanted her on our side," Lavi mused while taking in the new information.

"Among other things," Komui murmured in agreement.

"So, until we get word from Toma and Chloe, we can't do anything but wait?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

Lavi glared at the floor as silence settled over the office after Komui's grim response. The Bookman apprentice had never felt so powerless when it came to aiding his comrades in the war against the Earl and his akuma, and despair gripped his heart in its numbing grip.

"Was Yuu…injured when the Noah took him?" the red head finally asked.

"From Allen's and the finder's testimony, as well as the amount of blood found at the scene, it was concluded that Kanda-kun was heavily wounded when he was taken," Komui replied in a voice barely above a whisper. Lavi slowly got to his feet as his brain processed all of the information he had been provided with, and he headed for the door with a dark gleam in his emerald eye. Komui opened his mouth to call the red-haired boy back, but the Bookman apprentice had already disappeared down the hallways before the door fell halfway closed behind him.

* * *

The first thing he saw was absolutely nothing. Darkness pressed against his battered body from every direction, and he couldn't tell whether his eyes were even open or not. What was up? What was down? The total darkness robbed him of his sight, and his remaining four senses were not aiding him much at the moment.

He hurt everywhere. Every inch of skin, every joint, every muscle, every bone, everyone ligament—pain assaulted his senses to the degree that he couldn't help but let out a groan. His wounds were still trying to heal; he could feel bones scraping, blood vessels clotting, and skin stretching over his vast multitude of injuries. The experience was not enjoyable, especially since his hands had been chained above his head, stretching and pulling at the deep, slowly healing gash across his back.

A loud explosion suddenly echoed through the darkness, and he winced as pain flared in his throbbing skull.

"Tyki found the intruders," a clearly feminine sounding voice practically sang from beside him. He couldn't help but jump at the proximity of the disembodied voice, and the movement jarred his wounds and ripped a strangled yelp from his dry throat. "I really hope he doesn't kill them. I want to play with them too."

Kanda flinched as a cold hand slid across his left shoulder, and a shiver ran down his spine when he felt warm breath against the back of his neck.

"Who are you?" he whispered.

"Do you _really_ want to know?" the voice asked as the hand slowly moved down his bare chest.

"_Who are you?_" he growled out through clenched teeth.

"I'm not important like Rhode or Tyki," the voice murmured. "I'm just the lonely Noah of despair."

The Japanese exorcist inhaled sharply when pain tore through his left side, and he heard a soft chuckle as blood poured from the new wound.

"I'm sorry about that. I just got a little excited."

With the apology, Kanda felt the object that had pierced his flesh being removed, and he thought that he could hear a faint licking sound from beside him. The Japanese exorcist took deep breaths as the wound began to heal itself, and he grimaced when the pain momentarily increased before fading to a dull ache.

"She's_ finally_ here!" the voice exclaimed a moment later. Kanda was tempted to asked who "she" was, but the voice cut him off before he could open his mouth.

"Tyki, your turn is up! It's my turn now!"

The exclamation echoed in the darkness, and Kanda was left alone as the explosions continued to grow steadily louder and nearer towards his sightless prison.

* * *

**Well, that is all for now. It took me a little longer than I had originally expected to update, but in the middle of last week, I decided to completely scrap everything that I had written and start over. Then, I had work and school and soccer and...no one probably cares in the least, so I will stop making excuses now! Anyway, hope you liked it, and feedback, whether positive or negative, is welcome.**

**If anyone has wondered (or really cares at all) what the chapter titles mean, then I'll give you a quick answer. I decided to go with military terms, such as M.I.A. (missing in action) and Crossing the "T" (tactic where ships literally cross a line of enemy ships). Don't ask me why. It just sounded right.  
**

**Also, to all Allen Walker fans reading my story: I promise that I won't turn Allen into some weak little brat that can't even defend himself. For the purpose of the plot, Allen had to be weakened in the beginning, but, of course, he will not give up and will come out the victor in the end.**

**And now, I bid everyone a fond farewell. Until I update once again...  
**


	3. Chapter 3: Hors de Combat

**Cross My Heart  
**

**Quick Author's Note:** It's finally done! I haven't updated in SO long...sorry about that. I had writer's block...so yeah...Anyway, enjoy!

**One more thing: **This chapter is modeled after my interpretation of William Faulkner's "stream of consciousness." I don't know if any of the other chapter will follow this pattern, but the story just seemed to...flow more efficiently when I wrote it in this style. Sorry for being boring! Read on.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Hors de Combat  
**

_They had nowhere to run. _

"Let's play, Miss Exorcist."

Chloe glared at Tyki Mikk. "And what if I refuse?"

_As if refusing was really an option._

"You don't get a choice," the Noah replied with a grin. "You play, or the samurai brat dies at_ her_ hands."

_Her? Who is 'her'?_

"Bellerose-dono, you're in no condition to fight!" Toma hissed anxiously.

"I've had worse," Chloe murmured under her breath. She clenched the bloody gash on her right shoulder with her left hand and winced.

_They only needed one moment…they could escape in that window. The problem was finding the opportune moment…_

"Are you done talking yet, Miss Exorcist?"

_To hell with him!_

Tyki Mikk grinned in anticipation. "Let's get started, shall we?"

_Shit…they were screwed…big time._

_

* * *

_

_"Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques, dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?"_

Kanda slowly opened his eyes. His prison was no longer cloaked in absolute darkness, and the dim light provided by the torches floating in mid-air showed the exorcist little to nothing of the room he was being held in. He could vaguely make out the outline of a chair across the room, but the person sitting in it was concealed by the remaining shadows.

_"Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines. __Ding dang dong, ding dang dong." _**(1)**

Kanda recognized the tune. He scowled when the lullaby brought up memories of his childhood that he wished to forget, and he heard the singing start up once more as he pushed said memories into the farthest corners of his mind.

_"__Duérmete niño, duérmete ya…"_

As if on cue, Kanda felt a wave of exhaustion wash over his battered body, and he struggled to keep his eyes open while the song continued.

_"…que viene el coco__y te comerá__." _**(2)**

Kanda continued to fight against the fatigue threatening to envelope him in the darkness once again, and he didn't even notice when the only other occupant of the room slowly strolled over and knelt down in front of him.

"You will make excellent bait, _Exorcista_."

A cool sensation spread throughout Kanda's body a moment later, and he felt himself drifting off to sleep as the shackles around his wrists fell away.

* * *

_"You betrayed us, Allen…__"_

Allen viciously stabbed his fork into the chicken breast he had been eating. He was responsible…why did his mind have to keep reminding him?

"Allen-kun, can you hear me?"

He could hear Lenalee just fine. That wasn't the problem. The problem was his guilt. It was his fault Kanda was hurt and taken by the Noah, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it.

_"This boy paid for your sins with his life…"_

"Allen-kun, it wasn't your fault." There was hope in Lenalee's voice, but it couldn't qualm the heavy guilt weighing his battered body down.

The white-crowned exorcist shook his head. "Of course it was my fault! If I hadn't been so weak, Kanda wouldn't have had to try to protect me and he wouldn't have gotten hurt and taken by the Noah!"

"Allen-kun, it wasn't—,"

"NO!" Allen slammed his bandaged hand down on the table and bowed his head. "Stop saying that, Lenalee," he whispered. "I'm such a failure that Komui-san forbid me to leave the order without his permission."

"Since when has that ever stopped you, Allen-kun?" Lenalee asked as she reached across the table and took her comrade's hands. Allen slowly lifted up his head, and Lenalee smiled while squeezing his trembling hands.

"Allen! Lenalee!"

"Lavi, what's wrong?" Lenalee asked as the red-haired Bookman apprentice skidded to a halt beside the table.

"The science department made contact with the Ark!" Lavi replied excitedly. "Komui is talking to the new girl and Toma right now."

Allen immediately jumped to his feet, and he ran after Lavi with Lenalee hot on his heels. A few moments later, the three exorcists entered Komui's paper-strewn office and pushed past the numerous scientists crowding around their supervisor's desk. A large rectangular black box sat on top of Komui's desk, and Komui spoke into the microphone attached to the voluminous device.

"Are you both all right, Chloe-chan?"

_"We're a little banged up, but other then that, we're fine."_

"Good, good. Now, how are you talking to us? The last time I checked, the wireless communicator was useless once you entered the Ark."

_"I tinkered with Timcampy a little and was able to connect to Johnny someho—,"_

Komui's eyes widened when he heard coughing coming from across the line. "Chloe, are you sure that you're all right?" he asked worriedly.

_"Don't worry about me, Komui. It's not a—ugh!"_

"Chloe, what's wrong?!"

There was no reply. Komui heard coughing once again, this time followed by a pained yelp, and he clenched his fists as he waited for some sort of conformation.

_"Komui-dono, Bellerose-dono was injured during a confrontation with the Noah Tyki Mikk. We managed to escape from the Noah with one of Bellerose-dono's spells, but it took a toll on her body as well."_

"Is Chloe going to be all right, Toma?" Komui asked softly.

_"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, damn it!"_

"Chloe-chan, if you are hurt, let Toma help you."

_"We don't have time for that! The signal has probably been discovered by now!"_

"Chloe, calm—,"

_"Listen to me, Komui! I figured out a way to create another gate connected to the Earl's new Ark."_

Komui's eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious?"

_"I will create it near the same location that Toma and I entered from. I'll call when the gate is finished."_

"Chloe, wait—!"

Komui heard a loud explosion echoing through the line, and he heard a long string of curses as another explosion went off closer than the first.

_"Toma, we have to move!"_

A small 'pop' and a harsh wail poured from the radio a moment later, and Komui let out a long sigh while setting the microphone down on his desk.

"Lavi, Lenalee, Allen-kun, I have a mission for you."

* * *

Something wasn't right. He couldn't sense anything around him, but the uncomfortable chill he had always associated with danger ran down his spine anyway. He tried to open his eyes, but exhaustion had taken a firm grip of his body and refused to let go.

"It's a shame, Exorcist-san. That curse will kill you really soon, you know?"

Kanda felt something wrap around his wrists and chest a moment before he was pulled to his feet, and he groaned softly when his still-healing wounds throbbed. Whatever was binding him was coarse and metallic, and Kanda grimaced as the sharp material began to cut into his skin. He recognized the cold presence that had been with him in his first prison, and he couldn't help but flinch when the voice sounded closer than before.

"I'm sure Chloe will be able to fix you up, though. She's really strong. Unfortunately, I can't fight her right now, so _you_ are going to be my substitute, Exorcist-san."

He'd had enough of staying silent. "…Who are you…?" Kanda managed to whisper despite his fatigue. He couldn't see what was going on, but he could at least _ask_, couldn't he?

"I already told you who I was, Exorcist-san."

Kanda tensed when a hand gently traced the cursed mark on his chest.

"Chloe is taking too long, so the plan is going to change a little bit."

The cool fingers that had been trailing over his flesh began to press against the cursed mark, and Kanda attempted to back away as pain blossomed in his chest. The material wrapped around his body made any movement impossible, and the agony in his chest began to spread to the rest of his body.

_"Hurry, Chloe, or Exorcist-san's life will be completely spent."_

_

* * *

_

"Toma, can you do me a favor?" Chloe asked as they trudged along. They had left the town far behind, and the houses had been replaced with dark corridors lined on either side with metal doors of various sizes and shapes.

The finder nodded, and Chloe came to a halt while leaning heavily against the cold stone wall beside her.

"Remember the thing I gave you back at the church before I went to look for Timcampy?" At the finder's confirming nod, Chloe held out a hand. "I want you to stay here with the gate, Toma," the red head said when the finder placed the object in her hand. "I'll leave Timcampy here as well. I shouldn't be long."

"But Bellerose-dono, your condition—,"

Chloe cut Toma off with a glare. "I'm fine, Toma. My wounds aren't serious. I'm more worried about Kanda."

Before Toma could inquiry as to why Chloe was pushing herself past her limits, the red-haired exorcist's head snapped up, and her face paled as her blue-green eyes widened in shock. She reached into her hood, grabbed Timcampy, and tossed the gold golem to Toma while pressing a hidden button on the object that had formerly been in Toma's possession. A portal similar to the one that had led to the Ark formed against the opposite wall across from Toma and Chloe, and the red-haired exorcist handed the object back to Toma once the "gate" had fully formed.

"Contact Komui, Timcampy," was the last order Chloe gave before disappearing down the corridor in a dead sprint.

* * *

He was dieing. It was obvious. The Noah was drawing out his remaining life, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Struggling against his binds would only cause more pain, but sitting still wasn't an option if he wanted to live.

"You don't have to worry anymore, Exorcist-san."

He couldn't die. Why should he worry?

"Your life won't last much longer, but I'm sure Chloe can sense it."

Chloe? Who the hell is she?

"She's here! She's much faster than before!"

What the—?

"Here we go, Exorcist-san! Let's put your skills to good use before your life runs out!"

Kanda's body began to move on its own, and his eyes opened of their own accord as a wicked cackle filled the air.

* * *

She knew Toma couldn't sense it. He wasn't trained to deal with any kind of ancient sorcery, only akuma and Noah. He would only get in her way. Besides, she didn't have time to wait for the finder to catch up to her. She could feel someone's life being drained, and as the once steady guiding beacon began to grow weaker, Chloe pushed her legs to move even faster as she ran.

Chloe wasn't prepared to block the kick aimed at her side as she turned the corner of the never ending corridor, and she felt a rib crack from the force of the blow as she stumbled back a few steps. The level 3 laughed as he lunged once more, and Chloe scowled while dodging the akuma's attack.

"So nice of you to join us, Chloe," a familiar voice said from behind the akuma.

Chloe's eyes narrowed in contained anger, and she reached into her tattered jacket as the level 3 sped towards her. When the akuma drew within a few feet of her, Chloe removed her hand from her jacket, and she threw the sharp knife she had been holding at the level 3. The blade flew end over end until it connected with the akuma's head, and it sank all the way into the level 3 until only an inch of the knife's hilt was still visible. The level 3's eyes bulged as its body began to swell up, and it let out an agonized scream when small fissures formed from the knife's origin. The akuma exploded a moment later, and Chloe could hear laughter echoing through the corridor as she picked up her knife.

"You're much stronger than you were before, Chloe!" the disembodied voice said excitedly. "As much as I'd love to play with you right now, your opponent will be him today."

As if on cue, Kanda materialized from the shadows, and Chloe leapt back when the Japanese exorcist she was supposed to be rescuing began to attack her. With each punch and kick, Chloe could see the numerous wires wrapped tightly around Kanda's arms and chest, and she searched the corridor for the source of the wires as she dodged the Japanese exorcist's attacks.

"Kanda, snap out of it!" Chloe hissed as she danced out of her fellow exorcist's reach. Kanda's response was a quick punch aimed at Chloe's face, and when Chloe leaned back to avoid the blow, the exorcist grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her. Chloe couldn't help but wince when her left shoulder popped out of its socket, and she struggled to free her right arm before Kanda could damage it as well. "Snap out of it, usted idiota!" **(3)**

"Now, now, you should know better than to shout, Chloe, especially since he can't hear you."

Chloe's eyes widened at the proximity of the familiar voice, and she slowly lifted her head as a cool hand cupped her cheek. Blue-green met gold as Chloe stared up at the one person she hadn't seen in years, and a single word slipped from the exorcist's trembling lips.

"…Soeur…?" **(4)**

The Noah of despair tucked a stray lock of dark red hair behind her ear, revealing one of the black stigmata etched into her forehead, and she slowly ran her long fingers through Chloe's red locks with a grin.

"It's been a while, petit guerrier." **(5)**

"Charlotte, when…how…?" Chloe whispered in confusion. She thought that she was imagining things when she sensed her sister's magic earlier…

"Usted pregunta a la madre," Charlotte replied softly. "Ella sabe por qué." **(6)**

Chloe could only stare up at her older sister as Charlotte reached up and freed Kanda's Innocence from its sheath, and the Noah smirked while examining the sword Chloe had brought along to give back to its rightful owner.

"Exorcist-san, let go," Charlotte ordered after a moment. Chloe stumbled forward when the pressure on her arms was suddenly released, and her eyes widened when Charlotte handed the Japanese exorcist in her control his Innocence. "Chloe, this boy doesn't have a lot of time left," Charlotte stated while wrapping an arm around Kanda's shoulders. "I'll drain his life until he dies, unless you can defeat me. Then, I'll stop."

Chloe's eyes widened when Kanda's Innocence sped towards her, and she barely dodged the horizontal slash meant to cut her in half. Kanda's next attack was a blur, and Chloe felt the blade scrape across her cheek as she backpedaled out of the Japanese exorcist's range. She reached into her jacket while dodging another slash, but Kanda surprised Chloe by continuing to turn after the initial attack missed. Blood splashed against the stone walls, and Chloe bit her lip while taking hold of the blade buried deep in her side.

"This is going to hurt a bit, Kanda," she hissed through clenched teeth. The red head distracted Kanda with a handful of blood to the eyes, and with her non-bloodied hand, Chloe grabbed the wires coiled tightly around the Japanese exorcist's torso. "Reinigen," she mumbled as a soft blue light surrounded her hand. The wires immediately snapped, freeing the Japanese exorcist from the Noah's control, and his body toppled to the ground as the amount of life that had been drained from him reared its cursed head. Chloe eased the bloody blade from her side, and she fell to her knees as blood poured steadily from the deep wound. **(7)**

"You did well, Chloe," Charlotte stated as Chloe shakily got to her feet once more. "However, I can't let you escape the Ark alive. Akuma, here are some exorcists to play with."

A horde of level 1s and level 2s surrounded Chloe and Kanda, and Charlotte smirked as she walked away. Chloe gripped the hilt of Kanda's Innocence with both hands, and she took a step forward to attack when a loud, "YUU-CHAN!" sounded from the other end of the corridor. Akuma began exploding left and right a moment later, and Chloe lowered the sword as the destruction continued.

"Bellerose-dono!" Toma exclaimed as he ran towards her. Chloe smiled weakly at the finder, but she couldn't hide a grimace when her bloody side throbbed.

"I guess we're saved," she murmured while closing her eyes.

* * *

**(1) & (2) **I remember hearing/singing both of these lullabies when I was little. If you want the English translations, google them.

**(3)** This one is probably obvious, but just in case, it means "you idiot" in Spanish.

**(4)** This means "sister" in French.

**(5)** "Little warrior" in French.

**(6)** "You ask Mom. She knows why," in Spanish.

**(7)** "Cleanse" in German

* * *

As you can clearly see, I will mix in a few phrases from different languages within my story. If you absolutely loathe this practice, don't hesitate to let me know! Hope you enjoyed it! Feedback is welcome! :)


	4. Chapter 4: Overwatch

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry for once again taking FOREVER to update. I had to prepare for 3 A.P. exams, a Spanish final, work, sleep, eat, attempt to go to school...not that it really matters. I wish I could guarantee updates will get faster because I'm out of school for the summer...however, knowing me (and I do know myself quite well, in my opinion), I will get busy with other things or just not have time to write, which is not something I want to do. ANYWAY, have fun reading. (And, if you reviewed, I will FINALLY answer you...at the bottom!)

* * *

**Chapter 4: Overwatch**

Komui knew he should be happy that Kanda had returned relatively unharmed from the Ark. At least the boy wasn't _dead_…yet. One look at the cursed mark on Kanda's chest was all Komui needed to know the truth. Kanda wasn't going to heal unless Komui thought of something…and quickly.

He could only guess at how much time Kanda had left, and the numbers were depressingly small. Komui was a scientist, and he was better suited for repairing Innocence weapons and creating robots than dealing with curses and ancient sorcery. In the end, Komui was powerless to help Kanda, but the Chinese scientist sure as hell wasn't going to give up, no matter how small the chances for Kanda's survival were.

When he found the time, Komui sat in the infirmary next to Kanda's bed and read every book on curses he could find in the Order's extensive library. So far, after two days of pouring over large volumes written at least two centuries before, Komui knew how to counter grudges, hexes, and foot fungus, but he was no closer to his goal than he had been before. Nevertheless, Komui did not give up. In fact, the failures made the Chinese scientist even more determined in his quest, and he refused to leave the infirmary until he had succeeded.

"Supervisor, this is the last book in the library dealing with sorcery," Bookman said while placing the thick, dusty volume on top of one of the numerous piles of books surrounding Komui.

"Thank you for your help, Bookman," Komui said with a tired grin. He placed the book in his lap down on the floor and rubbed his aching eyes. "I thought there might be information about Kanda-kun's curse somewhere in the Order's archives…I'm sorry for sending you on a wild goose chase."

Bookman shook his head. "It was nothing, Supervisor."

"I've kept you from your duties, Bookman, so I apologize for that as well."

"I think my apprentice enjoyed his little break, but don't be sorry. He will simply have to catch up now."

Komui chuckled at the evil smirk gracing Bookman's aging face. "Then I shouldn't delay you any longer, should I?"

"Good luck, Supervisor," Bookman murmured before heading for the exit. Komui reached for the book he had been reading, and he had just found the page he had been on when a soft cough caught his attention. Komui slowly lifted his head, and his lips turned up in a grin as Chloe made her way towards him.

"What brings you here, Chloe-chan?" he asked when the red-haired girl finally settled down on the floor in front of him.

"If I said I was coming to see your handsome face, would you believe me?"

Komui raised an eyebrow at Chloe's sarcastic response. "I think I should tell Matron that you're still too injured to leave the infirmary after all."

"Sorry Supervisor. I'll cut to the chase, then," the red head said while leaning back on her hands. "I need to visit the Asia Branch for…research purposes. Is there any way that I can go, say…today?"

"You are aware of the inspector's order, correct?"

"Orders aren't always meant to be followed."

"What are you researching?"

Chloe avoided her supervisor's inquisitive gaze. "Something."

"What sort of something?"

"Something."

"I can't let you go if you don't give me a better answer."

Chloe let out a frustrated sigh while running bandaged fingers through her loose hair. "I'm being vague to keep you from getting in trouble with the inspector, okay? I'll tell you everything when I'm through."

"You said the same thing before you entered the Ark with Toma," Komui stated thoughtfully.

"The more time I waste, the less time _he_ has." Chloe scowled at the incredulous expression on her supervisor's face. "Don't stare. Say yes already!"

"I want you to take Lenalee-chan with you," Komui said after a moment. A small grin made its way up Chloe's lips, and she got to her feet as swiftly as her injured body allowed her to and headed for the door. "I expect you to be back here as soon as you find what you're looking for!" Komui called before the red head disappeared into the hallway. A soft chuckle was the Chinese scientist's answer, and he let out a long sigh while rubbing his tired eyes once more. "Good luck, Chloe. Good luck."

* * *

_It hurts…_

No shit, he told himself. Of course it hurt. Wounds were always painful.

_Is this what dieing feels like?_

He couldn't die…he wasn't finished yet.

_The petals…they've all wilted._

No wonder his body wasn't healing. There was no life left to be used.

_Death is coming…_

Damn it! He wasn't ready…not yet!

_…how long can this body endure?_

Giving up was not an option. He _was_ going to live no matter what.

* * *

_"Komui, would you like to tell me why Lenalee and another exorcist showed up and asked to borrow my library?"_

Komui couldn't help but smirk as he leaned back in his chair. "Sorry, Bak. Chloe was very adamant about using _your_ library for her research."

_"Did the red head happen to tell you what she was looking for?"_

"She wouldn't divulge that information, unfortunately."

_"She didn't want the inspector to be on your case, did she?"_

"Exactly."

_"Smart kid."_

"Chloe is quite intelligent."

_"Anyway, how's Kanda doing?"_

"Not very well," Komui replied with a frown. "But he is stubborn. He isn't going to give up just yet."

_"He doesn't have long left, does he?"_

"No, he doesn't."

_"It's a shame. I wish we could do something for him."_

Komui made a noise of agreement. "Chloe will manage to find something."

_"Very optimistic view of the situation, Komui."_

"I do my best to stay positive."

_"And Walker?"_

"Allen continues to blame himself for Kanda's condition, but Lenalee-chan has been talking with him the past few days. I'm sure Allen will be back to his usual self in no time."

A long sigh echoed across the line. _"He takes responsibility for everything, even when the situation is out of his hands. That kind of mentality is highly self-destructive."_

"Allen is strong, and he has people that count on him. He won't give up so easily."

_"He's too stubborn for his own good."_

Komui chuckled, and he glanced up at his office door when he heard a soft knock. "Come in," he said while placing the phone receiver down on his desk. Bridget stepped into Komui's office once the door was opened, and she cleared her throat as she straightened the stack of papers she was holding.

"Supervisor, I have mission reports from Exorcists Krory and Lotto. They returned about ten minutes ago. Exorcist Miranda Lotto was taken to the infirmary for treatment, and Matron says that Miss Lotto will be able to return to her duties within the next few days."

"Thank you, Bridget," Komui said as his secretary placed the papers on a clean corner of his desk. The woman briefly nodded her head at her superior's gratitude and quickly left the same way that she had come. Komui picked up the receiver and held it to his ear once more without even glancing at the reports.

_"You're busy as usual, it seems."_

"Lucky me."

_"Anyway, I should go check on the exorcists. Who knows what kinds of trouble those two could have gotten into by now?"_

"Hey!" Komui hissed in annoyance. "Did you just call my Lenalee-chan a troublemaker, Bak?"

_"…Um…no…?"_

"You did too!"

_"What was that Wong? You need my help in the lab? I'll be right there!"_

Komui couldn't help but smirk when he heard a loud 'click' from the other end of the line, and he replaced the receiver back on its cradle while reaching for the new mission reports just waiting for his seal of approval. Komui knew _all_ about Bak's infatuation with Lenalee, and it was his duty as Lenalee's older brother to make sure he protected her from all the men wishing to take her away! Bak was so easy to tease, too. But, for now, Komui needed to do his duties instead of making fun of his comrade. As he read over Krory's report, Komui reached for the mug of coffee sitting beside the phone, and he frowned when he saw that it was empty. That wouldn't do.

"Bridget, can you bring me some more coffee?"

* * *

When night came, Allen Walker found himself wandering the Order's dark, empty hallways…again. Sleep had eluded the exhausted boy for three days now, and he was running on willpower as he trudged forward on his pointless journey through lifeless corridors. If Link knew of his charge's midnight strolls, he chose to remain silent about it, and for once, Allen was grateful to have the junior inspector as his roommate. Unless it threatened Allen's life or the Order's integrity, Link wouldn't say anything to Levellier. Thank God for that.

Allen was somewhat thankful that he was awake, despite the major consequences—headaches, fatigue, loss of coordination, etc—that plagued him with each night he spent trekking around the Order. His dreams were filled with memories that weren't his own, and he always woke to a strangely familiar voice singing in his ear. It frightened Allen to know that there was some kind of…entity just floating around inside his head listening in on his thoughts and conversations. Hell, he'd even felt the Noah within him surface once before in the battle with the level 4 in France. It was sickening…and, to keep from having to hear the falsely sweet voice upon waking, Allen refused to sleep. Not such a brilliant move in the end, but it solved his problem momentarily, which was all that he truly wanted. He'd worry about the future when it came to pass.

He drew to a halt as he neared the infirmary, and a dark look crossed his young face when memories of recent events crossed his already frazzled mind. Before he could dwell on the past for too long, Allen noticed something…glowing in the infirmary. Yes…glowing. Such an odd sight drew the white-crowned exorcist to move closer to the source, and he poked his head through the slightly open infirmary doors out of curiosity. Allen grimaced when bright light assaulted his dilated pupils, and he shielded his eyes with his hand as he stepped further into the infirmary. The source of the light came from the direction of Kanda's bed, and Allen could vaguely make out a dark silhouette standing within the light. Before he even realized what he was doing, Allen was standing beside Kanda's bed, and his eyes widened when he saw exactly who was leaning over Kanda.

"C-Chloe-s-san?" the British exorcist stammered.

The red-haired girl didn't reply, but the subtle bow of her head led Allen to believe that she at least knew he was there. She was staring intently at the palms of her hands, and Allen silently watched as odd characters began to materialize above her hands. So that was the light he had seen from the hallway…

"Espero que este trabaje," Chloe murmured while closing her eyes. She flipped her hands over so that her palms were facing Kanda's exposed chest, and the characters floated down and hovered over the Japanese exorcist's chest as they increased in size. Chloe chanted softly as white light began to pour from her hands, and the characters turned blue for a brief moment before the brighter light covered Kanda's chest. Kanda's cursed mark, which had curled around his back and across his abdomen, began to glow as the intense brightness flowed into his body. The black markings disappeared as the light flowed into Kanda's chest, and Chloe murmured something in a foreign tongue when the light flickered for a moment. **(1)**

"Allen, can you do me a favor?"

The white-haired exorcist started at Chloe's sudden inquiry, and a faint blush decorated his pale cheeks as he nodded.

"Could you go check and see if Lenalee made it to her room? We left quite early this morning, and she was practically asleep on her feet when we got back," Chloe asked while glancing at her comrade from the corner of her eye.

Allen stared at the red head in confusion. When had they left? Inspector Levellier had ordered all exorcists to return to Headquarters when Kanda was brought back, and all Ark gates leading out of the Order were heavily guarded by the "third exorcists." How had Chloe and Lenalee managed to get past the half-akuma without raising alarm?

"Sure," the British exorcist replied after a moment. He ignored the urge to start interrogating his fellow exorcist as he moved towards the infirmary doors, and he vaguely heard Chloe mutter a "thank you" when he reached the hallway.

For the second time in a single night, Allen Walker made his way down the Order's deserted hallways. However, his once aimless wandering now had a greater purpose, and he felt useful once more even though his task was simple. When he reached Lenalee's room, Allen found the door standing slightly open, and he quietly stepped inside his female comrade's quarters after not getting a response from its occupant. Lenalee was sprawled out on her bed in a rather unflattering position, and Allen blushed as he made his way across the room. He tip-toed over to the bed and carefully removed Lenalee's shoes—taking care to keep his eyes on her feet as he did so—before pulling the disheveled blankets up to her shoulders. Lenalee smiled as she murmured something unintelligible in her sleep, and she grabbed a fistful of Allen's trousers when he turned to leave.

"…Allen-kun…don't…that tickles…" she whispered with a soft giggle. Allen's eyes widened in shock, and he could feel his face heating up as Lenalee's whispers continued. He gently loosened Lenalee's strong grip on his clothing and tucked her arm back under the blankets before scurrying out of the room as fast as stealth would allow him to do so. Allen leaned against Lenalee's door once he had closed it behind him, and he willed the heat blazing in his cheeks to fade before someone came along. He shook his head after a moment, scattering his lock white locks, and willed the new thoughts plaguing his mind to disappear from existence. Lenalee deserved someone better…she didn't need to focus her affection on a coward like him…

"Allen-kun, what are you doing outside Lenalee-chan's room?"

The British exorcist let out a soft yelp when he heard Komui's voice, and his heart attempted to hammer its way out of his chest as the Chinese scientist walked towards him.

"K-K-Komui-san, I was just c-checking on Lenalee like Chloe-san asked!" Allen stammered out with a nervous laugh.

Komui eyed Allen for a moment, and the British boy cowered underneath his supervisor's "sister-complex glare of doom." At Allen's frightened reaction, Komui's expression brightened, and he glanced around the empty corridor with a slight grin on his face. "Where is Chloe now?"

"The infirmary," Allen replied. Komui's eyes widened at the boy's answer, and he took off down the hallway in a dead sprint with his slippers slapping loudly against the stone floor. Allen stared after Komui for a few seconds in confusion, but, once his rattled mind finally rejoined reality, Allen quickly followed after his supervisor.

* * *

He had grown rather accustomed to the darkness—more so than he would ever admit. The darkness was his solace. No troublesome things could bother him there. He was untouchable.

_Wake up, Kanda-kun._

It was only a matter of time before his sanctuary was taken away. He knew that, but he still fought against the demanding voices ordering him to wake from his pleasant slumber. He could hear inaudible whispers floating around him as he reluctantly swam to consciousness. Why couldn't they just let him be? All he wanted was to rest a little longer…

_If you continue to sleep, then you will never grow any taller._

Ah. He should have known the voice of reason was coming. It sounded like Tiedoll. What a bother.

_You had better get up or I'll kick your ass, Bakanda!_

Since when did his conscience sound like Moyashi? He must have gone insane.

_OHAIYOU, YUU-CHAN! __**(2)**_

Shut up, Lavi, he wanted to growl at the red-haired Bookman apprentice. Using people's first names when they specifically told him not to…unforgivable.

_Kanda, please wake up._

Great, even Lenalee's voice was present in his thoughts. Maybe a little more sleep would do some good…

"Jeez, Yuu-chan sure is taking his sweet time waking up!"

Damn. So the voices weren't just in his mind.

"Up until yesterday, his body was dying. Kanda needs rest so he can heal properly."

If that was the case, then why were they even here? Where was here anyway? Obviously not his room, since everything smelled like antiseptic and bleach. Ah…it was the infirmary.

"Bakanda, hurry up and wake up already!"

Stupid Moyashi. Just leave already!

"As much as I hate to say this, I need the three of you to leave."

Matron was officially on his good side. She had made the nuisances leave him be.

"Get some rest, Kanda-kun. You need it."

So she had known he was faking. Whatever…the idiots were gone. He could sleep and drift back into the darkness, where he could forget that he had almost died; where he could ignore the idiots to his heart's content; where he could finally rest without his thoughts drifting to the lotus; where he could feel…free.

_Buenas noches Exorcista. __**(3)**_

Gold eyes broke through the darkness. He remembered feeling his life draining away as those same orbs danced with glee before him. He remembered his body moving against his will. He remembered feeling Mugen's familiar hilt resting comfortably in his hands. And he remembered Mugen slicing through something definitely _not_ akuma-like. He remembered it all. The blood, the pain, the death—every last thing. It had all begun with those gold eyes.

"Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques, dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?" **(4)**

That lullaby…it couldn't be…not here!

"Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines. Ding dang dong, ding dang dong." **(4)**

Wait…the voice was different. It was much brighter…more innocent than the other.

"You won't be able to heal if you don't rest."

Really? And here he thought he was already healed…

"I thought you would be more pleasant considering how close you came to dying. I guess I was mistaken."

Who was this new idiot?

"Hurry up and go to sleep. I'll make sure _she_ doesn't invade your dreams."

She? What the hell was the idiot blabbering on about?

Before Kanda could even comprehend what was happening, his entire body was enveloped by heat, and he sank back into the welcoming darkness without any trouble. He drifted into the abyss without protest, and sleep took Kanda away from the woes of reality, much to his fatigue-ridden body's utter joy.

* * *

**Translations:**

**(1) **Chloe's line: It's Spanish for, "I hope this works."

**(2)** It means "Good Morning" in Japanese, or so I've been told.

**(3)** It means "Good night Exorcist" in Spanish.

**(4)** Yes, it's the same lullaby from Chapter 3. It's French. If I wasn't lazy, I would provide a translation of the song. However, the internet isn't lazy, so use it!

* * *

Okay! Kanda has been healed! Yay!

Sorry...it's 1:30ish in the morning...I'm running on little sleep and lots of willpower/natural hyperness that happens when one doesn't get enough sleep to function properly.

Anyway. I said that I would reply to reviewers ~

**Pyschomantium: **Thanks! I can't promise rapid updates, but, now that I can spend a great deal more time writing, I believe the story will flow a bit easier in my mind and will transfer into the computer at a faster pace. Oh, and no, I have not had the privilege of studying many foreign languages. I'm currently taking Spanish through my high school, but I was taught a few French phrases when I was younger, so I decided to branch out a bit. I'm also of German ancestry, and while I've never had the chance to visit Germany, I have German acquaintances. I really wish I was fluent in languages other than English. And who knows...I'm contemplating certain _relationships_ between the characters still, but I'll keep that particular one in mind! (As I typed this up, I confused myself. I apologize in advance...even though it comes AFTER the novel of a message I just typed up...XD)

**ERBurke** I'm glad you like my use of different languages. I've read quite a few stories that have had foreign phrases without translations, so I decided to provide them for my story because I didn't want to frustrate or confuse the reader. Been there and hated it. I hope you continue commenting so I can improve my writing! :) (sorry, for some reason, ffnet wouldn't let me put the periods in your screenname..._)

**Lathya:** I had Chloe bring Kanda's Innocence onto the Ark because...well...I'm still trying to finalize Chloe's Innocence in my mind. When I figure out its form, I'll most likely go back and change it...but for now, I will be lazy. If you have any suggestions of your own, feel free to let me know! :)

All right...that's about it then. As I've probably said every chapter...please leave comments. If you like it, great. Let me know what you like. If you hate it, okay. Let me know what you don't like. All forms of constructive criticism are welcome! Ja na!

* * *


	5. Chapter 5: In Extremis

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:**Wow, it's been FOREVER since I updated. Goodness...I need to work on that. I had soccer camp, the ACT, and a family reunion all in one week, and at camp, there was little time for writing. Last week, I was working almost every day, and I was also helping my dad out. I love spending time with my dad! :)  
Anyway, I have no excuse. Well, actually, I should be working on my summer reading for AP English...but I needed to get this chapter out before going to the beach next week! Okay, enough excuses! Thanks to my loyal reviewers too! Hope you guys like the chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except the plot and my original characters.

**One more thing:** The second half of this chapter might be a tad confusing. You'll see what I mean when you read it. Bear with me, please. It will get better, I promise!  
If it helps, the first line in _italics_ is the "lullaby" or comments from an outside source, the next line is Kanda's thoughts (3rd person POV), and the dialogue and action follow before the cycle repeats itself! (I was worried some people would get confused...)

* * *

**Chapter 5: In Extremis**

It was an interrogation, plain and simple. No matter how Inspector Leverrier dressed the room up, he wasn't there to have a tea party. He wanted answers, and he would get them no matter what. That's why the "third exorcists" were positioned around the room, as well as Bookman and Lavi, who had been ordered to view the proceedings for their records. Needless to say, Komui was uncomfortable just watching the proceedings from the sidelines. He couldn't imagine how Chloe felt as she sat across the small table from Inspector Leverrier.

"How are your injuries, Miss Bellerose?" the inspector asked while stirring a cube of sugar into his tea.

"Healing," Chloe replied.

"That's good." Leverrier brought the dainty china cup to his lips and sipped at the boiling hot liquid.

"Why am I here, Inspector?" Chloe asked after a few minutes of silence.

Leverrier gently placed the teacup in its matching saucer and folded his hands in his lap, all the while regarding Chloe with narrowed eyes.

"You disobeyed a direct order, Miss Bellerose. I would like to know why and what you hoped to accomplish by doing so."

"I was under the impression that, because the number of remaining exorcists has decreased as of late, losing a powerful asset to the Order would jeopardize our position in the war against the Millennium Earl," Chloe stated. "In order to protect innocent lives that could be lost in the future, I made the decision to save Kanda Yuu's life."

"And just how were you able to save Kanda Yuu, Miss Bellerose?"

Chloe's fists clenched tightly, and she sat up painfully straight in her seat as all occupants of the room waited for her reply.

"My master told me of a technique that could be used to restore a person's life force. However, I was only made privy the process, not the method. I needed addition research to make sure I was coming about it the right way," the red-haired girl finally replied.

Her answer was vague, as she had intended it to be, but Leverrier wasn't going to drop the subject.

"If you knew what to do, why did you need to do more research?"

"To make sure I was right."

"Right about what?"

"The method," Chloe repeated.

"How does this method of yours work?" the inspector asked.

"I don't believe the Church would approve of it, so why waste my breath?"

"Are you refusing to tell me?"

Chloe remained silent.

"With my authority as a Chief Inspector of the Black Order, I demand that you tell me how your method saved Kanda, _and_ how you carried it out."

"Demand all you want. I'm not telling you anything."

"Are you refusing a direct order from a high ranking official of this organization?"

"High ranking or not, Inspector, I am an exorcist. My only superior is Supervisor Komui Lee. I take my orders from him, not you," Chloe stated.

The red-haired girl got to her feet as soon as she said her piece, and she walked towards the door without another word. Komui saw Leverrier nod to one of the "third exorcists," and before Chloe could open the door, a large hand closed over her wrist and pulled her back.

"I did not dismiss you, Miss Bellerose. Please sit back down," the inspector stated as he placed his hands in his lap.

With a sharp tug, Chloe freed her arm from the half-akuma's grip, but she made no motion to turn around or return to her seat.

"I have nothing more to say to you, Inspector," she said while crossing her arms.

"On the contrary, we have a great deal _more_ to discuss, Miss Bellerose," Leverrier said with a grin.

"Je pars. Usted no puede pararme, fils de pute!" **(1)**

Without another word, Chloe opened the door, and she disappeared down the hallway before Leverrier could order the "third exorcists" to follow her.

"Supervisor, Chloe Bellerose will not be assigned any more missions until after Central has reached a verdict concerning her conduct the past few days," Leverrier stated after a few moments of silence.

"Why is Central getting involved in this case, Inspector Leverrier?" Komui asked. "Chloe's transgressions were minor at best, so involving the high commanders is—,"

"I didn't ask for an opinion concerning the matter, Supervisor," Leverrier replied while getting to his feet. "And as for Kanda Yuu," the inspector began as he walked towards the door, "he is to remain in headquarters until Central sees fit. That is all."

Komui felt the tension drain from the room when Leverrier stepped through the door, and he refrained from sighing in relief as the "third exorcists" followed after the inspector.

"Well, Kanda-kun certainly isn't going to be happy about this…"

* * *

…_Frere Jacques…Frere Jacques…_

He couldn't get the damn lullaby out of his head.

"Take deep breaths, Kanda-kun," Matron said as she leaned towards him.

Kanda suppressed the urge to flinch when he felt the stethoscope's cold metal head press against the skin just above his heart, and he took deep breaths as Matron moved the device from one spot to another on his chest and back.

_…Dormez-vous…Dormez-vous…?_

It haunted him worse than the idiots he had to deal with on a regular basis.

"Relax your arm, please."

The Japanese boy did as he was told, and Matron placed a loose black cuff around his left arm. She squeezed the small pump connected to the end of a thick cord attached to the strange device, and Kanda felt the cuff tighten around his arm until his fingers tingled uncomfortably. Matron glanced at the gauge connected to the material around Kanda's arm, and she smiled while twisting a small knob near the pump in her other hand. The cuff quickly deflated, and Matron slipped the device off Kanda's arm as he massaged his aching fingers.

_…Sonnez les matines…_

The stupid song brought up memories of death and gold eyes—two things he wanted to forget about as quickly as possible.

"Your heartbeat sounds normal, and your blood pressure is perfect," Matron stated with a smile. "It looks like you are free to go, Kanda-kun."

Kanda nodded, and he grabbed the folded shirt sitting beside him on the bed while getting to his feet. The shirt reeked of starch and was a good size too large, but the Japanese exorcist didn't mind in the least. Kanda shrugged the garment on without a word, and he headed for the door as he buttoned it up. With a clean bill of health, there was no use in staying in the infirmary any longer.

_…__Sonnez les matines…_

It was like that Noah was still in his head, singing to her heart's content.

"Exorcist Kanda Yuu, we have been ordered to escort you to Supervisor Lee's office," a voice said, interrupting Kanda's thoughts and bringing him to a halt in the middle of the hallway.

With a frown, Kanda glared at the two "third exorcists" standing on either side of him. He contemplated attempting to lose the half-akumas, but he knew running was was futile. There was no use in wasting his energy when he couldn't escape.

_…Ding…_

He needed a way to distract his mind.

"What does Komui want?" Kanda asked while crossing his arms.

The pair of crimson-clad exorcists remained silent much to the Japanese exorcist's chagrin.

_…Dang…_

There had to be a way to make it stop.

"Please follow us," the taller of the half-akumas stated, ignoring Kanda's inquiry completely.

Kanda's eyes narrowed, but he followed after the "third exorcists" nonetheless. The walk to Komui's office was blessedly silent, but Kanda's calm expression instantly darkened when he entered the room. Instead of Komui being the sole occupant of the room, Kanda found General Tiedoll, General Sokaro, General Cloud, and Bookman sitting next to Komui's desk. Inspector Leverrier stood on the other side of Komui's desk, and he smiled as the "third exorcists" moved to the back of the office.

_…Dong…_

He vaguely wondered if Moyashi had the same trouble with the Fourteenth.

"Madarao, Tevak, thank you for bringing Kanda."

If looks could kill, Leverrier would have been six feet under and pushing up daises from Kanda's death glare. The inspector didn't seem phased, however, and he continued to grin at the Japanese exorcist. Komui cleared his throat at the awkward silence following Kanda's entrance, and the Chinese scientist shuffled a few papers in an effort to ease the tension that had filled the room. Leverrier turned his gaze to the door when it opened a second time, and his wicked grin widened as a red-haired girl stepped into the room flanked by the three remaining "third exorcists."

_…Ding…_

Maybe Moyashi would know how to get rid of the song...not that he would ask the white-haired brat anyway.

"It's nice to see you again, Miss Bellerose," Leverrier said while picking up the folder sitting on the edge of Komui's desk.

The girl didn't comment, and she slowly made her way to Kanda's side with a scowl on her face. Kanda glanced over at the newcomer in curiosity, and his eyes widened as a familiar face flashed across his mind.

_…Dang…_

It was _her_…or was it really? The girl had the same appearance, but her presence felt much different…much _warmer_ than the golden-eyed Noah's did.

"I can't say the feeling is mutual," the girl stated.

Leverrier's smile didn't falter even at such harsh words, and the girl clenched her fists tightly enough to draw blood. She took a deep breath when the inspector turned to examine the contents of the folder in his hands, and her body visibly relaxed as she glanced over at Kanda. The Japanese exorcist met the girl's gaze, and calm washed over him as he continued to stare into her blue-green irises.

_So, she still hasn't left yet. That could be a problem._

Not only was someone singing in his head, now someone else was speaking in his head too. He had officially gone insane, no doubt about it.

"Kanda Yuu, Chloe Bellerose," Leverrier began a few moments later, "both of you have been summoned in order to receive the verdict regarding your cases from Central command. But, before I read the judgment, I have a few questions I want you both to answer."

The girl turned her attention back to Leverrier, and she absentmindedly rubbed her left shoulder while waiting for the inspector to begin his interrogation. Kanda grudging focused on the inspector, and the Japanese exorcist crossed his arms as Leverrier placed the folder back on Komui's desk.

_You have to tune her song out. That's the only way to get rid of her._

Like he hadn't tried that already!

"Kanda Yuu, did you divulge any information regarding the Order to any member of the Noah family during your captivity?"

The Japanese exorcist shook his head without hesitation. Leverrier appeared to accept the answer, and the inspector thought for a moment before asking his next question.

_Then try harder, usted idiota! _**(2)**

He wished he could throttle the new voice in his mind.

"Were you aware that you were under a Noah's control when you attacked another exorcist, Kanda?"

The girl stiffened at Leverrier's question, and Kanda glanced at her from the corner of his eye as he shook his head. He remembered feeling his life draining away as his consciousness faded, but that was all he could recall. His next memory was waking up in the infirmary with the idiots leaning over him. It was not a pleasant thing to wake up to.

_She controls the mind with that song. As long as the mind remembers the song, she can control the person at her whim._

Then how was he supposed to rid himself of the Noah?

"Miss Bellerose, what happened when you encountered the Noah controlling Kanda?"

_You have to forget the song or you will become her puppet once again!_

Puppet?

"The Noah told me that Kanda was going to be my opponent, and she used her powers to control his body. She made him attack me, but I managed to free him from her grasp before she drained all his life away," the girl stated.

Kanda could feel all three generals and Bookman staring at him as Bellerose's words sank into their minds, and he pointedly ignored Komui's sympathetic gaze. He had already been wounded and kidnapped. He didn't need pity to make the wound in his pride even worse than it was.

_If you don't want to lose the rest of your pride, or your life, you must fight the song._

How could he fight something that wasn't even real?

"Were you injured during your confrontation with Kanda?"

Kanda's attention immediately snapped to the girl. She refused to look up or answer, but Leverrier didn't need her to. Her silence spoke volumes.

_Don't listen, Kanda._

What had he done when he was under the Noah's control?

"Do you consider Kanda a danger to you, Miss Bellerose?"

The girl slowly lifted up her head, and she glanced up at the Japanese exorcist before shaking her head.

_Don't give in._

That's easier said than done.

"I see. So that's why you decided to save him. Isn't that right Miss Bellerose?"

Kanda's eyes widened. He attacked her—wounded her even—and yet, she had still chosen to save him.

_Esté fuerte, Kanda._ **(3)**

Why had this girl gone so far for him?

"And, because you deemed Kanda not to be a threat to your life, you disobeyed my order and went to the Asia Branch before returning here to save Kanda."

The girl nodded.

_See, you've already won!_

Won?

"Now that all the facts have been presented, I will read Central command's verdict," Leverrier stated while picking up the folder once more. "Kanda Yuu," he said with a brief glance at the Japanese exorcist, "after reading testimony provided by Chloe Bellerose, Komui Lee, and members of the nursing staff, Central has ruled that you are still capable of completing your duties as an exorcist."

Kanda heard Tiedoll and Komui sigh in unison, and he refrained from rolling his eyes as Leverrier continued reading.

_Good work Kanda._

What had he even done?

"And Chloe Bellerose, despite your disobedience, your actions have been deemed reasonable by Central command. You have also been ruled capable of completing your duties as an exorcist, but you have been warned. Your status as a general will not keep you from being tried for insubordination should you defy a direct order again."

Komui sighed once more, and Leverrier closed the folder with a serious expression on his face.

_The song stopped._

That's right. He couldn't hear the Noah anymore.

"You are both dismissed," Leverrier stated.

Kanda wasted no time in heading for the door. He knew the inspector would release the generals next, and he wanted to be as far away as possible from Tiedoll after the interrogation.

_Make sure you guard your mind well, Kanda. She isn't one to give up easily._

He had gotten rid of one nuisance in his head, but the other still remained.

"I'm not a nuisance," the girl said as she brushed her long red hair from her eyes.

Kanda turned to the girl. It was her the whole time?

The voice that had been in his thoughts since he first saw the newcomer had suddenly gone quiet.

"Why did you help me?" Kanda asked.

"Because," the red head said, "I don't want her hurting anyone else."

With that, the girl—Chloe Bellerose, as Leverrier had called her—walked away, leaving Kanda staring after her retreating back. Something in his chest tightened, and he shook his head while heading down the hallway towards his room. He needed some time to think.

* * *

**All right! Translation time ~**

**(1)** The sentence contains both French and **Spanish**, and it translates to "I am leaving. **You cannot stop me**, son of a bitch!" I love that little black book of things you should _never_ say!

**(2)** Yes, I reused a phrase from chapter 3. It's Spanish for "you idiot."

**(3)** If anyone is taking, has taken, or is fluent in Spanish, this is the 'usted command' saying, "You be strong."

And if you want a translation of the ever present French lullaby, I'm sure it's at the end of a previous chapter. Soy perezosa. You'll live!

****F.Y.I. If you want to know what the chapter title is about, here's a quick definition: **a situation of such exceptional urgency that immediate action must be taken to minimize imminent loss of life or catastrophic degradation of the political or military situation.******

As I said at the top, thanks to my returning loyal reviewers! Here are replies you _should_ have gotten a long, long time ago!

**Pyschomantium:** I actually contemplated having Chloe learning something from the library in the Asia Branch (because she's brilliant and can do that). I even wrote up a chapter around that idea. But, I got a serious case of writer's block and decided that a rewrite was in order. And, maybe a KandaChloe has been born from this chapter. I'm not quite happy with how I ended it, but I didn't want to keep going. Kanda needed some time to think anyway...Thanks for your support! I always enjoy your comments! :)

**Lathya:** Thank you for the ideas! I was having trouble deciding on Chloe's Innocence, but you really helped me out! Feel free to leave suggestions about anything!

**ERBurke:** I'm very sorry it has taken me SO long to update! I could give you my whole life story, but that would be boring, so I'll spare you. And yes, the mystery is deepening considering even the author isn't privy to how each chapter will go...I also wanted to have my story starting at the current manga chapters so I wouldn't twist the past chapters' plots. I wanted to have my own plot, but I didn't want to diverge too much from Katsura Hoshino's storyline either. Oh, and Kanda will be having plenty of conversations with himself during this fic, or so I have decided at the moment. I mean, he has a monologue (even though it's in 3rd person) in practically every chapter, I think...  
Anyway, I hoped you liked this chapter. It's a bit short. I'll do my best to make the next chapter longer! Thanks for the comments!

**Okay...read and review...criticism is welcome...blah blah blah...it's 3 o'clock in the morning. I need sleep...but I want to write...it's such a hard decision! Whatever...BYE!**


	6. Chapter 6: Funistrada

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** Hi again! I actually managed to update before a month passed! I know I said that I would post as soon as I got back, but...well...things happen.  
This chapter, to me, is more like a filler chapter and will be quite short. There isn't any significant action in this chapter, but for anyone that is really paying attention, there is _some_ KandaxChloe interaction. Anyway, that's all. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I only hold ownership over the characters _not_ present in the D. Gray-Man storyline. I don't even own the plotline since it is ever changing. In all honestly, this story writes itself. I'm only here for kicks.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Funistrada**

_…I'll make sure _she_ doesn't invade your dreams…_

Kanda clenched his fists, and he took a deep breath to center himself once more. He had gotten rid of one voice in his head only to gain another. It was frustrating, and it didn't help that Chloe Bellerose had conveniently gone missing over the past few days. Kanda wanted answers.

"Lavi, you know you shouldn't bother Kanda when he's—,"

Kanda knew that voice and was thankful it wasn't in his head. The door to the sanctioned "Meditation Room" slowly opened, and Kanda resisted the urge to growl as the peace was broken once more.

"It's okay Lenalee! Yuu won't mind if we send in Rouge-chan!"

"Hey! Leave me out—,"

There was a loud scuffle just outside the door, and Kanda opened his eyes as Lavi shoved his fellow red-haired exorcist into the room.

"Good luck, Rouge-chan!"

With that, the door slammed closed, and Chloe let out a frustrated sigh as she ran her fingers through her long hair.

"Sorry to bother you, Kanda," the red-haired girl said with a sigh. "Lavi wanted to know if you were all right, but, since he lacks the courage to ask you himself, he wanted me to act as the messenger instead."

"I'm fine," Kanda stated.

"I assumed so, but Lavi insisted on asking. I apologize for wasting your time."

Chloe turned back towards the door, and she frowned while trying to turn the doorknob.

"Fils de pute," the red-haired girl whispered. "He locked the door."** (1)  
**

Kanda watched in silence as Chloe pulled off her boots and placed them next to the door. The red head turned her back to the door, and she avoided Kanda's gaze as she strode across the room. She sat down on the floor a few feet away from Kanda, and she crossed her legs underneath her while closing her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Kanda asked after few minutes.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm thinking of ways to kill Lavi," Chloe replied. She opened her eyes and glared at the floor, still avoiding the Japanese exorcist's gaze all the while. "Have you heard the song since…?"

"No," Kanda said.

"That's good."

Silence enveloped the two exorcists once more, and Chloe let out another sigh. She uncrossed her legs and laid back on the floor while turning to face Kanda.

"You want information, right?" the red head asked while brushing the hair from her eyes.

Kanda didn't reply, which Chloe took as her cue to continue.

"The Noah of despair utilizes an ancient form of magic that allows her to control people's minds at will. That's what the song is for. It's her way of maintaining her hold on the person's mind even if he manages to escape."

"What did the Noah do to me?" Kanda asked.

"The price for using such complex sorcery is a massive amount of energy, and she used your life force in order to control you without harming herself," Chloe stated.

Kanda took in the information with a frown.

"What did I do when…?"

"You fought me as the Noah wanted you to do."

"Leverrier said that I injured you."

"That prying bastard doesn't know when to shut his mouth."

"Was he right?"

Chloe didn't answer, just as she hadn't when Leverrier asked. Instead, she slowly got to her feet, and Kanda followed suite with a frown.

"Show me," Kanda stated while crossing his arms.

The red-haired girl's eyes widened slightly.

"Excuse me?"

"Are you deaf?" Kanda snapped. "I said that I want to see your wounds."

"And if I refuse?" Chloe snapped back.

"You can't."

"Make me then."

Kanda took the girl's challenge and lunged. Chloe danced just out of the Japanese exorcist's reach each time he made a swipe at her, but she soon found herself backed against a wall. As Kanda reached for the red head, she allowed her legs to go limp and slid down the wall into a crouch. Kanda swore when Chloe knocked his feet out from under him, and he hit the floor as the red-haired girl raced towards the door. Chloe was within a few feet of the door when Kanda latched on to her ankle, and the girl gasped as the Japanese exorcist pulled her off balance. Chloe tumbled to the floor with a yelp, and she attempted to kick Kanda in the face in order to free her leg. Kanda avoided the attack and grabbed a fistful of the girl's dark blue shirt. He let go of Chloe's ankle while grabbing her arm, and with a powerful tug, the Japanese exorcist flipped the red head onto her back.

"Show me," Kanda said as he pinned her wrists to the floor.

Chloe growled at her fellow exorcist and struggled against his vice-like grip on her arms. Kanda held on until the red head tired herself out, and he loosened his grip a bit when Chloe's body relaxed.

"Ready to cooperate?" he asked.

"Písese!" Chloe hissed with a scowl.** (2)  
**

Kanda had no idea what the foreign word meant, but, judging from the girl's dark expression, it certainly wasn't a statement of agreement.

"Fine," Kanda growled, "I'll find out myself."

Chloe snarled as Kanda reached for the bottom of her shirt, and she turned her beet red face to the side as the Japanese exorcist lifted the garment up. Kanda immediately noted a large, scabbed over, healing stab wound about halfway down her right side, and he had a feeling that a matching wound was on the girl's back as well. The Japanese exorcist noticed the edge of a healing bruise peeking out from the collar of her shirt on her left shoulder, and he pulled the thin material aside to get a better look. The bruise curled over Chloe's shoulder to her back, and Kanda nearly winced at how ugly the mark looked. With his examination finished, Kanda released Chloe and got to his feet.

"What was so hard about that?" Kanda asked.

Chloe didn't answer as she sat up, and she glared up at the Japanese exorcist when he offered her a hand.

"You're insufferable," the red head mumbled while taking Kanda's hand.

"And you're a stubborn idiot," the Japanese exorcist shot back as he pulled the thin girl to her feet.

"Cabron!" Chloe hissed.** (3)  
**

Kanda had no clue what she said, but it sounded insulting. "Busu!" **(4)  
**

"Señorita!" **(5)  
**

"Ahou!" **(6)  
**

"Hijueputa!" **(7)  
**

"Daikirai!" **(8)****  
**

"Yo también!" **(9)****  
**

Both exorcists glared at each other with rage burning in their eyes. Neither Chloe nor Kanda wanted to break the stare first, but Chloe finally relented and turned her back on the Japanese exorcist. She stomped over to the door, pulled her leg back, and kicked the thick slab of wood as hard as she possibly could. The door slammed into the wall with enough force to split the wood straight down the middle, and one half hung awkwardly on its hinges as the other half crashed to the ground. Chloe picked up her boots after the wood splinters and dust cleared from the air, and she brushed past Lavi and Lenalee, who had both come to see what the commotion was about. Kanda crossed his arms and glared at the two exorcists standing in the doorway.

"What happened, Yuu-chan?" Lavi asked.

Kanda didn't answer. Instead, the Japanese exorcist punched Lavi as hard as he could in the face. Lavi stumbled backwards with a groan, and Kanda strode out into the hallway and headed for his room planning not one, but two murders.

* * *

Chloe Bellerose was the most frustrating person Kanda had ever met, or so he decided during breakfast the next morning. As he ate his soba, the Japanese exorcist created a mental list of everything he loathed about the red-haired girl after only knowing her for a week.

First, she could disappear completely without any effort at all. That was impossible considering the number of guards from Central crawling around Headquarters.

Second, she had the ability to get into his head whenever she wanted to. It was troublesome and invasive, as the Noah had been.

Third, she made him…dare he say it…worry. The Noah had controlled his body and hurt her, and a small part of him actually felt _bad_ because of it.

And fourth…well, he hadn't gotten that far yet. He hadn't seen her since the run-in during his meditation time, so she hadn't been able to annoy him as much as the other idiots.

"Good morning, Yuu-chan!"

Kanda resisted the urge to murder Lavi on the spot and continued eating his soba.

"So, have you seen Rouge-chan today?" the Bookman apprentice asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Who the hell is 'Rouge-chan'?" Kanda asked.

"Silly Yuu-chan! You know who she is!" Lavi said with a laugh. "It's Chloe Bellerose, remember? She's about an inch taller than Allen with long red hair, a great body, and an awesome rack—,"

"No. Haven't seen her," Kanda stated.

Lavi grinned, and he leaned across the table with a smug expression on his face.

"So, Yuu-chan, what happened with Rouge-chan yesterday?" the Bookman apprentice asked.

"Nothing," Kanda replied.

"Are you sure? She seemed pretty mad when she broke the door."

"Nothing happened."

"If you say so…"

Kanda didn't even bother with glaring at the red-haired idiot as he continued to eat.

"Hey, Yuu-chan, do you like Rouge-chan?"

The question caught Kanda off guard, but, if the Japanese exorcist was surprise, he didn't show it.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's pretty simple, Yuu-chan. Do you think she's nice or smart or—?"

Kanda scoffed.

"She's insufferable."

"What was that, Yuu?" Lavi asked.

"I said that she's insufferable," Kanda repeated.

"Really? And here I thought _you_ were the insufferable one, Kanda."

Kanda's chopsticks froze halfway to his mouth at the sound of Chloe's voice, and he felt his cheeks growing warm as he turned to face the girl.

"What do you want?" the Japanese exorcist asked.

"To eat," Chloe replied as she sat down next to Lavi. She placed a small tray and a tall steaming black mug on the table in front of her, and she ignored Kanda's glare as she reached for the fork sitting next to the covered plate on her tray.

"What'd you get, Rouge-chan?" the Bookman apprentice asked.

"Sincronizadas with black tea," Chloe stated while uncovering the plate. **(10)**

"Sounds…foreign."

"I'd imagine so. It's a Spanish dish."

"Oh."

Kanda refrained from rolling his eyes and continued eating.

"So, Rouge-chan, what happened with Yuu-chan yesterday?" Lavi asked after a long lapse in conversation.

"You want to know?" the girl said while placing her fork down on her tray.

"I do."

"You _really_ want to know?"

"Yep!"

Chloe smirked and reached for the mug sitting in front of her.

"I'm sure Kanda told you that nothing happened. Why not believe him?"

"Cause Yuu never tells me _anything_!"

"Really now? Well, since that's the case, I should oblige you in his stead."

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Rouge-chan."

"Yes, well, you can't get answers from Kanda, so why not?"

"Tell me! Tell me!"

"All right, but you have to calm down before I begin."

Lavi took a deep breath and put forth the best serious face he could muster.

"I'm ready!"

"After you locked me in the room," Chloe began while bringing the steaming mug of tea to her lips, "Kanda and I did…"

"Did what?"

"…absolutely nothing."

Lavi's jaw dropped, and Chloe chuckled as she took a sip of her tea.

"Rouge-chan is just as mean as Yuu-chan is!" the Bookman apprentice exclaimed. "You lied to me!"

"I did, didn't I?" Chloe said with a grin.

"I knew Yuu wouldn't tell me, but Rouge-chan…I can't believe it!"

"Lo siento, Lavi." **(11)**

"Saying sorry won't help, Rouge-chan!"

"I gave it a shot."

Before Lavi could begin whining once again, the cafeteria's loudspeaker crackled to life and silenced the entire room.

_"Exorcists Kanda Yuu and Chloe Bellerose, report to Supervisor Lee's office immediately."_

With one final high-pitched squeak, the loudspeaker fell silent, and the room came to life once more.

"Rouge-chan, Yuu-chan, have fun on your mission!" Lavi said as the two exorcists got to their feet.

Kanda glared at the red-haired boy while walking away, and Chloe gave a mock salute as she followed after the Japanese exorcist.

* * *

**Translations (we have lots this time) :**

**(1) fils de pute** - it showed up last chapter, but it means "son-of-a-bitch" in French (it's also my new favorite phrase).

**(2) písese** - "piss off" in Spanish. I love my "101 Things You Shouldn't Say" books...

**(3) cabron** - "bastard" in Spanish. Well, roughly, anyway.

**(4) busu** - "ugly" in Japanese.

**(5) señorita** - "girl" in Spanish.

**(6) ahou** - offensive way of saying "idiot" in Japanese, or so I've been told.

**(7) hijueputa **- "son-of-a-bitch" in Spanish.

**(8) daikirai** - "I hate you" in Japanese.

**(9) yo también** - literally "I also," but it's used to say things such as, "Me too," or "I do too," in Spanish.

**(10) sincronizadas** - this is a Spanish dish that consists of two tortillas, ham, and cheese. It's like a thin ham and cheese sandwich.

**(11) lo siento** - "I'm sorry" in Spanish.

All right...so we get to see a bit of Chloe's personality in this chapter. And now that Kanda has her on his mind, will the author continue to develop the plot in order to deepen their relationship? Only time (and feedback) will tell! ;)


	7. Chapter 7: Salient

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note**: It's been...ages since I last updated. Sorry about that. Life kind of got in the way. Plus, I had terrible writer's block. Anyway, here's another chapter. So sorry if it is horrible. Opinions are appreciated whether they are positive or negative.

**Disclaimer:** I own the plot and any characters that have sprung from MY imagination and nothing more.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Salient**

It was supposed to be an easy mission.

"Kanda, left!"

The Japanese exorcist ducked underneath the level 2 attempting to attack his blind spot and rammed Mugen into the akuma's chest. The machine let out an inhuman cry as it fell, but Kanda paid it no mind as he continued to fight.

Komui had said that it would be a simple retrieval mission. Get the Innocence and get out; nothing more and nothing less. Fighting against an army of akumas was not in the plan.

"Bellerose, above!"

Chloe side-stepped the level 3 diving towards her, and she placed a hand on the akuma's body as the strange black markings on her skin glowed. A large depression appeared on the killing machine's body seconds later, starting from the place Chloe had touched and moving outward. The akuma didn't even have time to scream in agony before it exploded.

The akuma army was certainly growing smaller as Chloe and Kanda hacked through the machines, but it was more a battle of endurance for the two exorcists as they faced their seemingly limitless adversaries. Before either knew it, Kanda and Chloe found themselves leaning back to back, panting heavily in exhaustion and struggling to stay upright, as more akumas joined in the "fun."

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" Chloe asked as she reached into her uniform jacket.

"You can say that again," Kanda said while readying Mugen.

"What are the chances we make it back alive?"

"Slim to none."

"Good. Just the way I like it."

Kanda smirked as the akumas began to charge. He didn't understand this girl at all.

"Hey, let's make a bet, since we're probably not coming out of this unscathed and all."

Kanda momentarily removed his eyes from the wall of akumas and glanced over his shoulder at the red-haired girl.

"Whoever kills the most gets bragging rights for a month."

"Che. Why would I do something stupid like that?"

"Because," Chloe stated, "you're just as competitive as I am, and we both know that it would seriously irk you if you lost to a girl you hardly know."

The girl was right, Kanda admitted to himself. His pride as a samurai was on the line now.

"Fine. You're on, Bellerose."

Let the games begin!

* * *

_"Komui, are you there?"_

Said supervisor was currently napping at his desk. The ancient radio transmitter sitting on the desk beside him gave a loud squeal, but the Chinese scientist remained blissfully unaware as he slept.

_"He isn't answering."_

_"The idiot is probably asleep."_

Komui twitched slightly, but he slept on as the conversation played out over the radio speaker.

_"Komui, get up already!"_

_"Che. That was pathetic."_

_"Well, you try it then, Kanda-__**sama**__."_

_"Whatever."_

Komui grinned in his sleep, totally unaware of the chaos about to wrench him from his pleasant dream.

_"KOMUI NO BAKA, WAKE UP!" _**(1)**

With a yelp, Komui flipped out of his chair and landed in a heap on the floor.

_"You up now, Komui?"_

"Yes, Kanda-kun, I am awake," the Chinese scientist replied while willing his heart to stop attempting to hammer a hole in his chest. "Did you two finish your mission yet?"

_"Well…that's why we called."_

"What's wrong, Chloe?"

_"Nothing's wrong…it's just…well—"_

_"—your information was total crap and there isn't any Innocence, just armies of akuma to get rid of."_

Komui frowned as he thought about what Kanda had said.

"Are you sure there isn't any Innocence? The finders reported that there was a Conformer living in the town only twenty-four hours ago."

_"Either said Conformer is in hiding, or the finders were wrong."_

_"The Innocence and the Conformer could've also been destroyed before we arrived."_

"How long will you both need to confirm whether the Innocence or the Conformer is still in the town?"

_"There are hordes of akuma hiding throughout the town, so fighting them and searching at the same time will take a while."_

"Do you want me to send reinforcements?"

_"We're not weaklings, Komui. We can handle it on our own."_

"Are you sure, Kanda-kun? I mean, you both only have so much energy to spend before you get tired, and—,"

_"No worries, we'll be fine, Komui. We'll report back when we get something useful."_

Komui listened to the loud static pouring out of the transmitter for a few moments as his mind mulled over the entire conversation. It worried him that the information he had been given was wrong. Well, he didn't really know if it was incorrect or not. That wasn't what concerned the Chinese scientist the most.

Both Chloe and _Kanda_—the Kanda that hated working with other exorcists; that refused to acknowledge other exorcists' strength; that hated people in general—had both said "we" during the conversation.

_'__**We**__'re not weaklings…__**We**__ can handle it on __**our **__own…'_

Those two statements had come from Kanda's mouth.

_'No worries, __**we**__'ll be fine…'_

…Not to mention the fact that Chloe had agreed as well.

The cogs were beginning to turn in Komui's mind as a large grin spread over his face. He had a lot of work to do…yes…he had work to do!

* * *

_I'm scared…_

She was alone. Everyone was killed by the monsters right before her eyes.

_Mama, Papa, where are you?_

There was so much blood it made her sick to her stomach. She wanted to leave her hiding place. She just wanted to run away and never look back. However, she couldn't move unless she was told to. Mama had said not to.

"Let's check this part of the house before we stop for the night."

There were new voices. She heard the door to the room just before the one she was hiding in creak open—it had always squeaked terribly—and two distinct pairs of footsteps entered the room. She prayed silently that it wasn't those monsters again.

"Let's go, Bellerose. No one survived here."

One pair of footsteps came to a halt while the other pair continued on.

"Someone _did_ survive. I can feel it."

The footsteps approached the door and came to a halt.

_I'm scared!_

"Let's just go already."

_Someone…anyone…help me!_

She heard the door to her hiding place open and gasped softly.

_Save me!_

"Bellerose, you've wasted enough time already. No one is here. _Let's_ _go_."

"I humbly apologize for wasting your precious moments, Kanda-_sama_. If it is your wish to leave, then we shall depart at once!"

"Shut up, Bellerose."

She heard the footsteps growing fainter as the voices faded away and let out a relieved sigh. She didn't know why she was scared. The voices hadn't sounded mean and they hadn't attacked her or anything.

But, she was still frightened. She didn't know what to do.

_**'****Don't worry. I will tell you what you must do, Child.'**_

Another voice…it sounded so smooth, so soothing.

**_'Are you still frightened?'_**

Why would she not be scared?

**_'Child, you need to get up and come to me.'_**

Come to whom? She was still too frightened to move.

**_'I see. I will help you then.'_**

Help? How?

**_'Stand up and walk.'_**

She felt her body begin to move on its own, and she walked across the room and headed outside.

**_'Good. Now, reach out your hand.'_**

Her arm lifted up towards the sky without any bidding, and a warm hand gently clasped her own. She was lifted up into the air as if she weighed nothing.

"Hello, Child."

It was that voice again, only, it was from above?

"I will help free you from your fear."

What were those black markings? They caused a shiver of fear to run down her spine.

"Don't worry. It will be painless."

A hand touched her forehead, and all the scared thoughts immediately vanished from her mind. She felt at peace. It was a wonderful feeling…

"Now, I need you to do a favor for me, Child."

_I'll do anything for you…Master._

_

* * *

_

"This is wrong, Kanda."

The Japanese exorcist stopped rummaging through the cabinet and threw a glare at Chloe.

"Bellerose, everyone in this place is dead. They won't care if we use their stuff, unless you plan on freezing to death as you sleep," he stated while returning to his search.

As soon as the sun had set, the temperature had dropped considerably, and snow began to fall from the sky. The two exorcists, as stubborn as they were, decided that it was best to find shelter for the night. They found a small house that wasn't as badly destroyed as all the rest in the town and settled in. Once blankets, food, and fire were obtained, Chloe and Kanda got as comfortable as they could on the hard floor. Kanda sat against the wall closest to the fire (not that he would ever admit to being slightly cold), and Chloe sat down a few feet away from her fellow exorcist.

"How many?" Chloe asked after a long period of silence.

Kanda turned to the red-haired girl in confusion.

"How many _what_?"

"Remember the bet we made this morning?"

Ah…_that_. Kanda thought for a moment.

"Two hundred one."

"Really?" Chloe said with a laugh. "I guess you won then."

"How many did you get?"

The red head went silent as she tallied up the number of akumas she had slain that day alone.

"Two hundred and a half."

Kanda raised an eyebrow and turned to meet Chloe's gaze.

"How," he began slowly, "do you only kill _half_ an akuma?"

"We both landed the finishing blow on the same one. Makes it half and half."

Chloe chuckled after a moment and pulled the blanket even tighter around her shoulders.

"That means we tied," she stated once she had regained her composure.

Kanda scoffed.

"Che. I'm older than you, so I win."

"How do you know that, Kanda? For all you know, I'm twenty-one."

"Are you?" Kanda asked.

"Didn't think you cared," was Chloe's answer.

"I don't."

"Doesn't matter anyway," the red-haired girl stated. "You didn't win."

"I've been in the Order longer. Makes me the senior exorcist."

"I'm a General, ergo, senior exorcist or not, I outrank you."

"Whatever," came Kanda's intelligent response.

Chloe smirked.

"Neither of us won."

"Yeah, yeah. Just shut up already," Kanda hissed while closing his eyes.

Chloe grinned. Victory was sweet.

* * *

Komui knew that he was being impatient. It was obvious that staring at the transmitter wouldn't make a voice suddenly come through, but he had to try. Besides, it was a good excuse to get out of work.

The transmitter let out a squeal and a series of ear-shattering pops a moment later, and Komui instantly grabbed the microphone with a silly grin on his face.

"Lenalee-chan?" he asked.

_"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not her."_

"Hello Chloe. Have you two found anything?"

_"Not yet. We're giving it one more day."_

"How come?"

_"Kanda sensed something following us on our search this morning, but it disappeared. Also, we only encountered akumas in one place in the town today."_

"So you believe the Innocence is still there?"

_"Yeah. The Conformer might still be alive too."_

"That's good."

Komui wished that he could believe his own words.

_"Anyway, I'll get off so you can listen for Lenalee. Tell her I said hello."_

"I will," Komui said with a smile.

_"Oi, Bellerose, get over here!"_

_"I'll talk to you tomorrow, Supervisor."_

"Good luck."

_"Sí. Buena suerte."_ **(2)**

Static poured from the transmitter when Chloe's voice faded away, and Komui leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

"I miss my Lenalee-chan…"

* * *

The next few days for Kanda and Chloe passed by at an extremely slow rate. They had scoured the town for any signs of the Innocence and had come up with nothing but akuma. However, the exorcists had discovered the one place where the akuma seemed to be congregating at over time. That meant one of two things—Noah or Innocence.

Kanda and Chloe found themselves searching the grounds of a lavish mansion a few miles east of the new ghost town, but the trip so far had not produced any results.

"It's a wonder nothing in the mansion hasn't been destroyed yet," Chloe stated while staring up at the Rembrandt hanging on the wall.

"Anything downstairs?" Kanda asked.

"Nothing but blood and ash. No Innocence."

_"Bayu-bayushki-bayu…Ne lozhisya na krayu…"_ **(3)**

Both exorcists froze and listened as the childish voice drifted down from the next floor.

_"…Pridyot serenkiy volchok…"_

Chloe sprinted up the marble staircase without waiting for Kanda. The child's voice was nearby, but that wasn't what worried the red-haired girl.

_"…On ukhvatit za bochok…I utashchit vo lesok…Pod rakitovy kustok…"_

* * *

**All right, so sorry it's short. I had to end it here or the next chapter would be even shorter than this one is. Hope you liked it. If you didn't...sorry?**

**Reason I chose "Salient" as the chapter title - **the **salient** is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops occupying the salient vulnerable. The enemy's line facing a salient is referred to as a ******re-entrant** (an angle pointing inwards). A deep salient is vulnerable to being "pinched out" across the base, forming a **pocket** in which the defenders of the salient become isolated.

**Translations:**

**(1) **_Komui no baka_ - it means, to my understanding of Japanese, "Komui, you idiot/fool."

**(2)** _buena suerte_ - "Good luck" in Spanish.

**(3)** _Russian lullaby_ - "Baby, baby, rock-a-bye/On the edge you mustn't lie/Or the little grey wolf will come/And will nip you on the tum/Tug you off into the wood/Underneath the willow-root."

**I have now expanded my collection of phrases in different languages from German, French, Spanish, and Japanese to Russian! How cool am I? (Not very, if you ask me.)**

**Anyway, I must sleep now. Gutennacht.**


	8. Chapter 8: Coup de Grâce

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** I had great inspiration to write this week for some reason, so I've managed to post another chapter. Yes, it's kind of short, but it's mostly dialogue. Explanations will follow in the next chapter, yo prometo!

By the way, drinking lavender tea, while it will warm one up, is not a wise thing to do around 10 PM. I speak from experience.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned D. Gray-Man, I would most likely be a wonderful artist and writer. Too bad neither is true. However, Chloe, Charlotte, Sasha, others _not _in -Man series, and the plot belong to me. ME!

* * *

**Chapter 8: Coup de Grâce**

_"Bayu-bayushki-bayu…Ne lozhisya na krayu…"_

She sang, just as Master asked her to.

_"…Pridyot serenkiy volchok…"_

There were footsteps coming towards Papa and Mama's bedroom, just like Master said there would be.

_**'Wonderful, my dear. Keep singing. You can do it!'**_

She smiled at Master's praise and turned towards the doors as they flew open.

_"…On ukhvatit za bochok…I utashchit vo lesok…Pod rakitovy kustok…"_

_**'Good work, Child. Rest now.'**_

Exhaustion washed over her, and she didn't fight the darkness that eclipsed her vision. She had followed Master's orders. Master was happy.

_**'Sueño bien, Niña.'**_ **(1)**

**

* * *

**

Something didn't feel right. She knew that she had heard something. It had come from this bedroom too.

"Are you sure you heard some kid singing, Bellerose?" Kanda asked as he glanced about the empty room.

Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The room was modestly furnished with a large bed, a dresser, and a desk. Glass made up the entire wall opposite the doorway Kanda stood in. One wall was covered with a beautiful tapestry, and a few framed portraits of what was assumed to be the mansion's former occupants hung on another. Nothing to be concerned about…right?

"I wasn't imagining it, Kanda," Chloe stated as she slowly moved about the room.

"Whatever. I'm leaving."

Kanda walked out of the room, ignoring the dark look on Chloe's face, and headed for the stairs. A familiar chill ran down his spine as he drew farther from the room, and his hand strayed to Mugen's hilt when he stepped onto the landing.

"Bellerose, get—,"

Kanda's words were interrupted by a loud _crack_ and the sound of glass shattering. He didn't even realize that he was running up the stairs until he reached the room he had just departed from once again, and a large burst of cold air from the broken window enveloped his body as he stepped through the doorway. The wind was the least of Kanda's worries, and he barely brought Mugen up in time to block a level 4s kick aimed at his face.

"Play with me, Exorcist!" the sick imitation of a cherub said with a grin.

"Che. Your funeral," Kanda murmured while attacking the highly evolved akuma.

The level 4's smile widened, and he easily avoided each of the Japanese exorcist's quick strikes, as well as landed blows on Kanda at the same time.

"That girl didn't look too good," the akuma stated as it dodged a horizontal slash.

"Shut up," Kanda hissed.

"She didn't even see it coming."

"Shut up!"

The machine smiled. "Her scream was lovely—,"

"JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Kanda used his murderous rage to add more strength to his attack, and he knocked the level 4 through the doorway and out of the wall on the other side. The brick, wood, and concrete that made up the mansion's outer frame fell on top of the akuma, which spared Kanda precious seconds to determine whether his partner was dead or not.

_Bellerose, you had better be alive!_ the Japanese exorcist ordered mentally as his dark eyes swept over the frozen landscape.

He saw a flash of red and black, along with a second level 4, and pale blue light burst out from around the mass of red and black when the akuma drew near. Chloe was most definitely still alive, not that he cared or anything. It would just mean a hell of a lot more paperwork to do.

"Where are you looking, Exorcist?"

Kanda went sailing across the destroyed room seconds later, and he hit the wall with enough force to knock the breath from his lungs. Mugen slipped from the Japanese exorcist's unresponsive fingers as he struggled to take in oxygen. He could faintly hear the level 4 laughing in the background and let out a low growl. He had to end this…now.

"Mugen. Sangenshiki." **(2)**

Kanda felt a recognizable pressure on his heart as his Innocence drained his life, but he didn't really care.

"Bakuhakuzan!" **(2)**

Mugen passed through the akuma's body with ease, and the fake angel let out a long cry of pain as it exploded. Kanda turned towards the window and leapt into the air. He landed on the barren ground as Chloe fell to her knees in exhaustion in front of the level 4. From where he stood, Kanda could see the steady stream of blood leaking from the red-haired girl's side, and her right arm hung from an awkward angle at the shoulder. And that was just his view from behind.

"Die, Exorcist," the akuma said while raising its arm.

Chloe glared up the level 4 through her loose hair as its limb transformed into a gun. Kanda took a step forward to attack, but something told him to just stay put. His feeling was confirmed when, as the level 4 fired, Chloe jumped to her feet and head butted the akuma. The pseudo-cherub flew back a few feet with a yelp, and Kanda surged forward with Mugen in hand. Chloe landed a punch across the akuma's face at the same time as Kanda slashed its body, and the level 4 split in half from right shoulder to left hip. Kanda sheathed Mugen as the akuma fell to the ground, and he reached out to catch Chloe when she stumbled over the broken, bloody body.

"You look like shit," he said while slinging her good arm over his shoulders.

"And you look like a girl. I think we're even," Chloe said with a smirk.

"I should just leave you here to bleed out."

"You'd be stuck with the 'idiots' all the time if you let me die."

Kanda didn't know whether to hit the red-haired girl or respond to her comment. He opted to ignore her and headed for the mansion instead. Chloe's breathing was beginning to grow erratic as they walked, and her head had drooped to the point that her face was completely hidden behind a curtain of tangled red hair. Kanda felt the girl leaning more of her weight against him with each step and finally drew to a halt. Before Chloe could protest, Kanda lifted her up in his arms and continued on his way.

* * *

Komui Lee was officially worried. Not worried like he would be if Lenalee was out on a mission. Just…apprehensive.

"You wanted to see us, Komui?"

The Chinese scientist glanced up at the door and smiled at the three familiar faces.

"Yes. Thank you for coming at such short notice," he said as Allen, Lenalee, and Lavi strolled into the office.

"We would've been here sooner if we could've gotten Allen out of the cafeteria faster," Lavi stated with a smirk.

Allen flushed and punched the red head's shoulder.

"Anyway," Komui said to end the play fight that was about to start, "I need the three of you to go on a retrieval mission."

"Where?" Lavi asked.

"Russia."

"When do we leave?" Allen asked.

"That's where it gets…difficult."

"What do you mean, Nii-san?"

Komui rubbed his tired eyes and leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

"As you know, Kanda and Chloe are currently in Russia. Their mission was to recover Innocence or a Conformer in a tiny town outside of St. Petersburg. The mission should have taken only a few days at the most. Kanda and Chloe have been gone for over a week."

"When was the last time they contacted the Order?"

"Two days ago. They were still in the process of searching the town when we last spoke."

"So, we're going to Russia to look for Yuu-chan and Rouge-chan?" Lavi asked.

"Not at the moment," Komui replied. At the disappointed expression on the Bookman Junior's face, Komui added, "However, I want all of you to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. I'm giving them one more day to check in before I send you on your way."

"Yay! Yuu-chan, Rouge-chan, here we come!"

* * *

Kanda was glad (for once) that Komui had forced him to learn first-aid, even if he never needed it for himself. It never hurt to be prepared for the worst.

"Damn it, hold still, Bellerose!" Kanda hissed as he pressed the threaded needle in his hand into the red-haired girl's skin.

"…Easy…for you…to say…" Chloe ground out through clenched teeth.

Kanda ignored the red-haired exorcist and continued to sew the gash stretching from the middle of her abdomen to the middle of her back closed. She had been lucky. A few millimeters deeper and her lung would have been ripped up along with her flesh.

"Done," the Japanese exorcist stated as he cut off the excess thread trailing from the closed gash. "Now, sit up," he ordered while reaching for a clean towel from the small pile beside him.

Chloe slowly pushed herself up and grimaced as Kanda began to wipe the dried blood away from the curve of her neck.

"Shit, Bellerose," Kanda murmured once the wound was visible, "did it _bite_ you?"

"Yeah. The level 4 got angry when I kept kicking it and decided biting me worked just as well as shooting me," Chloe replied with a chuckle.

The Japanese exorcist carefully prodded the edges of the bite mark and decided that it was too shallow to require stitches. It had already stopped bleeding, but any harsh movements would cause the wound to rip open once more. Kanda taped a large gauze pad over the bite mark and wrapped bandages around her abdomen. He put the roll of gauze down on the floor while shifting so that he was kneeling behind Chloe. The Japanese exorcist carefully took hold of the red-haired girl's right arm and frowned when she attempted to flinch out of his grasp.

"Hold still or you'll make the pain worse," he hissed in her ear.

Chloe shivered and threw a half-hearted glare over her opposite shoulder.

"Would you just shu—ah!"

Kanda had used Chloe's lapse in attention to pop her arm back into its socket. The red-haired girl rocked forward while cradling her right arm to her chest, all the while cursing Kanda's immortal soul in every language she knew.

"Curse me all you want. I did you a favor," Kanda said while getting to his feet.

His wounded body protested his movement, and he heard Chloe call his name with concern in her voice as he slipped to his knees. Kanda felt his stomach growing warm as blood seeped into his tattered black shirt. The akuma virus was preventing him from healing quickly.

"Kanda!"

Chloe's voice sounded distant. That wasn't a good sign.

"Get a hold of yourself, cabrón!" **(3)**

Kanda felt someone grabbing his shoulders, and he instinctively lashed out despite his lack of energy and semi-conscious state. Dizziness washed over Kanda as he grappled with the stranger, and the next thing the Japanese exorcist knew, his face was buried in a sea of red.

"God, Kanda…you're heavy."

Was that Bellerose?

"Seriously, could you get off me?"

Kanda slowly opened his eyes and frowned. The world spun sickly around him, but he could still make out a mass of red and black lying underneath him. He blinked in an effort to clear his vision.

"What are you doing, Bellerose?" the Japanese exorcist asked.

Chloe let out a sigh and turned her head to the side.

"Apparently, I'm getting crushed by you, Kanda," she stated. "Now, can you get off, or are you going to lie here all night?"

Kanda scowled at the girl. Her sarcasm was getting on his nerves.

"Just shut up, Bellerose," he hissed as he slowly rose to his hands and knees.

The simple motion took all of the remaining strength Kanda possessed, and he closed his eyes as the room went out of focus once more.

"Kanda, don't move."

The Japanese exorcist grimaced when he felt a hand brushing over his stomach. The slight touch made agony flare up in the numerous gunshot wounds once more.

"…Don't…touch…me…" Kanda ground out through clenched teeth while glaring down at Chloe.

"I'm just repaying the favor from earlier," the red-haired girl stated as her hand began to glow. "We can go back to ignoring each other when I finish."

Kanda frowned but didn't respond. He could feel warmth flowing into his body from Chloe's hand, and the bullet holes were slowly healing from the inside out. In what felt like mere moments, Kanda was completely healed of the akuma virus and the gunshot wounds. Strength quickly returned to the Japanese exorcist's body, and he sat back on his heels while placing a hand over his gut. Just how the hell did Bellerose do that?

* * *

_**'I need you to wake up, Niña.'**_

She felt the blanket of darkness lift as suddenly as it had come, and she found herself standing in the middle of Papa's study. She had always liked Papa's study. It was full of books and papers, and it always smelled like Papa.

_**'You need to finish your job now.'**_

_Yes, Master._

She walked over to the door and slipped into the hallway. Everything was quiet, but she didn't mind. Her feet led her down the staircase and into the kitchen, and she immediately went for the cabinet where Papa had hidden all the sharp knives. Master would be delighted if she got this done quickly.

_**'All you have to do is find the exorcists. I will handle the rest.'**_

She clutched the blade in both hands and started to walk through her childhood home. She easily found the "exorcists," as Master called them, and she noiselessly entered the room.

_**'Very good, Niña. You shall be rewarded for your hard work.'**_

Her body grew lighter than it had ever been before, and she beamed. She was happy to have pleased Master.

_**'Do svidaniya, little one.'**_ **(4)**

Pain flooded her senses, and she held back a gasp. Wait…hadn't she satisfied Master?

_**'You were involved in a war that has been raging since the dawning of mankind. No hard feelings, my dear, but you are just another casualty of war.'**_

But Master—

_**'You were most helpful, little one. May your spirit find peace in the next world.'**_

Everything went dark after that.

* * *

"Doctor, pulse is dropping!"

Everything hurt. The pain in her body and mind intensified as the cacophony of voices around her increased in volume.

"Keep working!"

"She's not breathing!"

"Resuscitation measures, now!"

She couldn't breathe.

"Not working, Doctor!"

"What do you mean, 'not working'?"

"Out of the way."

That voice…it was familiar.

"Exorcist, get out of here! This is no place for—,"

"Shut the hell up and move it, baka. Bellerose can't help that lost cause otherwise."

Lost cause? Oh…they were talking about her.

_**Who did this to you?**_

_I don't know_, she answered the disembodied voice in her mind.

_**I need you to keep talking to me while I work, okay?**_

_Okay._

She felt a strange sensation in her chest, and she could suddenly breathe once again. She greedily sucked in oxygen as she had never done before.

_**What's your name?**_

_Sasha._

_**Short for Aleksandra, right?**_

_How did you know?_

_**Just a lucky guess.**_

The agony that had enveloped her body from the top of her head to the tips of her toes slowly began to melt away the longer she continued the conversation in her head.

_Who are you?_

_**A friend.**_

_How can I trust you?_

_**You can't. But I'll tell you this: I'm going to save you, Sasha, no matter what.**_

"Heart rate is returning to normal! Her breathing has evened out!"

"Well I'll be damned…"

_Why are you helping me?_

_**Because you were a victim of circumstance. You should never have become a part of this war.**_

She remembered what Master had said before everything went blank.

_**"'You were involved in a war that has been raging since the dawning of mankind. No hard feelings, my dear, but you are just another casualty of war.'"**_

_Why me?_

_**Unfortunately, you caught **_**her**_** attention, and she turned you into a puppet until you fulfilled your purpose for her.**_

_My purpose for who?_

"The girl's body is completely healed!"

_**I'll tell you when you are better…I promise.**_

"Good work, Exor—shit! Where'd all that blood come from?"

_Wait! What's going on?_

The voice was silent.

"Get her on a table, now! She's going into shock!"

_Are you there?_

_**…Yeah…sorry…**_

The voice was much weaker than it had been moments before.

"She's bleeding out!"

"Find a donor! We can't lose her!"

_Who are you?_

"You're all a bunch of idiots. Here!"

"Unless you're O-negative, giving her your blood could—,"

"Worst case scenario, she'll die either way."

_**…don't worry…about that…**_

"Get him hooked up to a stint."

"But Doctor—,"

"We've got no other choice! Do it!"

_**…just get…better…okay, Sasha…?**_

The voice faded away as she slipped into unconsciousness amidst the shouts filling the infirmary once more.

_You too, friend._

_

* * *

_

**All right. Kind of confusing at the end, I know. If you're wondering, the last two sections are from the little singing girl's (Sasha) point of view. I felt the need to add that because you never know...**

**By the way: Coup de ****Grâce** is a deathblow intended to end the suffering of a wounded man. You can thank the French for that.

**Translations:**

**(1)** _**Sueño bien, Niña - ******__Spanish for "Dream well, little girl/child."_

******(2) Sangenshiki, Bakuhakuzan - **My poor understanding of Japanese leads me to believe that the former means something along the lines of "three illusions style," while the latter is an attack that Kanda uses against the level 4 in Chapter 182. I have no idea what the latter means. (If you do, feel free to let me know)

**(3) Cabron - **Spanish curse word meaning "bastard." Chloe has been influenced too much by dear ole' Kanda. (es con accento o sin accento? no se...)

**(4)** _**Do svidaniya - Russian for "Goodbye."**_

**_All right. I believe that's all. Reviews and criticisms are welcome. Thanks for reading.  
_**


	9. Chapter 9: No Man's Land

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** I'm on a roll! I can't believe I got two chapters out back to back! Yay!

**E. R. Burke - **Sorry about that! (Or am I?) I usually don't like reading cliffhangers, much less writing them, but I had to break up the chapters in order for everything to make sense. I hope I updated soon enough...

**Lathya -** Yes. I guess. And yeah. I don't know how long this will go, but I'm not killing anyone off _this_ soon, I promise!

**James Birdsong - **Glad you liked it.

**espeon16 - **Thanks for the help! Like I said, I speak one language fluently, and the rest I know in phrases. Me no good at Japanese. XP

Yes, I decided to answer reviews at the TOP instead this time. I'm changing things up now that I'm updating faster. Hee hee...Anyway, please enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 9: No Man's Land  
**

"Search every room! We must find the girl!"

_Is everyone in the Order an idiot?_

Kanda scowled and attempted to center himself, which was hard to do with loud shouts and heavy footsteps coming from the hallway. His mind and body finally relaxed as the noise lessened, but he was distracted once again when the door to the meditation room quietly opened.

"She went this way!"

The Japanese exorcist watched in silence as the little Russian girl that everyone seemed to be searching for closed and locked the door behind her. She hadn't noticed him yet. The child let out a heavy sigh when she deemed it safe and sat down against the wall. The little girl glanced around the room after the hallway had grown quiet, and her eyes widened when she saw Kanda sitting in the center of the room.

"Are you hiding too?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"You could say that," Kanda replied.

The girl visibly relaxed, and Kanda knew right then and there that he wasn't going to find any peace until the child was taken care of. Too bad he was never good with kids.

"So," he began after a few moments, "why are the idiots chasing you?"

"I left my room without telling anyone," the girl replied.

"Why?"

"I wanted to look for my padryshka." **(1)**

"Your what?"

The girl let out a sigh.

"The word in English is frid. No, it's fri…fred…frend…"

"Friend?" Kanda interjected.

"Yes. My friend. The one that saved me from the darkness," the child stated with a grin.

Kanda frowned. He knew _exactly_ who the kid was talking about. The problem with going to see said person was the security detail keeping watch outside the infirmary. Kanda glanced over at the little girl and saw the emotion in her brown eyes. She was practically begging him to help her.

"Come on," the Japanese exorcist said while getting to his feet.

The girl watched in confusion as Kanda unlocked and opened the door, but she followed him into the hallway nonetheless.

"Where are we going?" she asked as they navigated their way through the maze of corridors.

"To see your padryshka," Kanda replied.

He didn't have to look back to know that the kid was smiling up at him.

"Thank you…um…"

"Kanda."

"Thank you, Kanda," the child murmured.

"Save it for when we actually get there," Kanda stated as he drew to a halt at a corner.

The Japanese exorcist poked his head around the wall and silently cursed. The human guards at the infirmary had been replaced by two of the 'third exorcists.'

"What's wrong?" the girl asked.

"Guards," Kanda replied. "We're going to need a plan."

The girl turned her head to the side and bit her lip in concentration. Kanda ignored her for the moment to think. He could take on both half-akumas, but he was sure to get injured in the process and cause a huge scene. He could also attempt to break in from the outside, but there was a good chance the windows had been sealed with anti-akuma wards. The only option left was to—

"Whatcha doin', Yuu-chan?"

Kanda's body went rigid, and he glared up at Lavi as the Bookman apprentice walked towards him.

"Nothing, baka usagi."

"You finally going to see Rouge-chan?"

"Shut up."

"I got it!"

Kanda turned to the little girl, tuning out Lavi's questions, and waited for her to speak.

"Send out the red head to talk to the guards. He accidentally trips into one of them, making them angry, and runs away. They should chase after him if he does that."

Who knew children were so clever?

"You heard the girl, Usagi. Hop to it," Kanda ordered.

"Wait a sec. I'll help you, but tell me what's goin' on first," Lavi said while turning to the little girl.

"I want to see my padryshka, and Kanda said that he would help me," the child stated.

"Yuu-chan said that he would help you? That's a first."

"Get a move on, baka, before I make you do it!"

Lavi shuttered under Kanda's frigid stare and walked towards the corner.

"By the way, you really ought to tell Rouge-chan," the red head said before disappearing from sight.

_What the hell…?_

Kanda shook his head. He would deal with that idiot later.

"Oi, get back here, Bookman Junior!"

Once the three pairs of footsteps had faded, Kanda glanced back around the wall. The coast was clear.

"Let's go."

Kanda led the way over to the infirmary doors, and he pushed them open enough for the little girl to pass through before squeezing in behind her. The infirmary was eerily silent, and only one bed wasn't empty. The little girl ran over to said bed with concern in her eyes.

"Padryshka, I'm back," she whispered while crawling up onto the mattress.

Kanda glanced down at the person the child was referring to and sighed. With her long red hair splayed out on the white pillows and the yards of bandaging peeking out from underneath the loose black shirt she was clothed in, Chloe Bellerose looked even smaller and weaker than usual.

"I got better, just like you told me to," the little girl said.

The child gently grabbed Chloe's limp hand and squeezed it.

"Kanda, who is she?"

"Her name is Chloe Bellerose," Kanda stated.

"Why did she help me?"

"I don't know."

The girl turned to Kanda with a frown.

"No one helps someone else without a reason."

Kanda closed his eyes. This child was too inquisitive.

"You want the truth?"

"Yeah."

Kanda sat down at the foot of the bed with his back to the little girl and pulled one leg up to his chest.

"Listen carefully. I'm not repeating myself."

* * *

_He knew the little girl couldn't do much harm, but he was on guard nevertheless. After all, she had tried to stab him only a few moments ago._

_"Kanda, a Noah is behind this," Chloe murmured as she watched the child._

_The child was moving strangely, as if her body was being controlled by another source. It was exactly like when…shit._

_"I need you to distract her for me."_

_"Che."_

_Kanda lunged at the little girl, and he easily dodged her clumsy swings without missing a beat. From the corner of his eye, the Japanese exorcist could see Chloe slowly moving behind the child. When the red head was a few feet away, Kanda leapt back, leaving Chloe to deal with the spell-bound little girl._

_"Reinigen," Chloe whispered while wrapping her arms around the child. _**(2)**

_The girl's body shook violently as her mouth opened in a silent scream, and the knife she had been clutching like a lifeline dropped to the floor with a loud 'clang.' Chloe gently lowered the child to the floor and placed a hand on her forehead. A laugh suddenly erupted from the little girl's throat._

_'You can't save her, Chloe.'_

_Kanda's eyes widened. He knew that voice._

_"I __**will**__ save this child, Charlotte," Chloe stated. "I will save her to spite you!"_

_'What noble motivation you have.'_

_"I won't let you take any more innocent lives!"_

_'You can't stop me.'_

_"I will!"_

_'We'll see if you can. For now, try not to die.'_

_Before Chloe could react, the girl's hand wrapped around the knife once more. A moment later, the blade landed home in the red head's back. The child went completely still after that, and Chloe smiled slightly while picking her up._

_"I won't let her hurt anyone else, no matter what."_

_

* * *

_

"Hey, Allen, seen Yuu-chan around lately?" Lavi asked as he sat down next to the white-haired exorcist in the cafeteria.

"Not since this morning," Allen replied through a mouthful of miturashi dango.

"I see."

Allen continued to eat until a thought struck him.

"Have you been to see Chloe since…?"

"No," Lavi replied. "I tried to go yesterday, but the guards wouldn't let me in."

"Same here. Why do you think they're guarding the infirmary anyway?"

"Haven't got a clue."

Allen put down his fork and turned to face Lavi.

"What if she didn't make it?" he asked.

"You think that Central would have guards for a dead body?"

"Central has done stranger things."

"Very true."

Conversation ceased between the two friends as tension filled the air around them.

"You don't think…?"

"Leverrier's name is written all over it."

"What do we do?"

Lavi thought for a moment. His eyes widened when he came upon the solution to all their problems, and he couldn't help but smirk.

"Yuu will do something. You can count on that."

* * *

Kanda absentmindedly rubbed his nose and refrained from sneezing through sheer force of will. Someone was talking about him behind his back.

He heard a soft snore and frowned. The little girl—Sasha—was sound asleep. Sasha had curled up against Chloe in her sleep, and the child held the exorcist's hand as she slept. Kanda watched the two of them for a few minutes before sighing. Sasha was deeply upset, and Chloe was terribly scarred. Which one was better off, he wondered.

_"I won't let her hurt anyone else, no matter what."_

"Kanda-kun?"

He'd forgotten about Matron. She'd had to come back eventually…but why _now_? Kanda got to his feet and moved out of the woman's way so she could check on her patient.

"Is Bellerose going to…?"

"I don't know, Kanda-kun. Her wounds were ghastly enough, not to mention she nearly lost her entire body's supply of blood. Only time will tell," Matron replied while fussing over the blankets. "She's strong-willed, though. She will pull through."

Kanda made an affirming noise, and Matron smiled at him as she turned to leave. She took a few steps forward and stopped.

"Oh, and Kanda-kun, would you watch over Chloe and Sasha for me? I have to speak with Komui, and I don't know how long that will take," Matron asked over her shoulder.

"Sure," was all Kanda could say as the head nurse walked away.

_"I __**will**__ save this child."_

The Noah had been right. Chloe's words were noble.

_"I will save her to spite you!"_

Chloe had sacrificed everything to save the little Russian girl, and it nearly cost the exorcist her life. Some would call that selflessness. Others would think of it as stupidity. Kanda didn't know what to say. He admired the girl's determination and loathed her lack of self-preservation. She would rather die helping someone else instead of trying to keep herself alive.

"You're an idiot, Bellerose."

She was just like Moyashi.

_"I won't let you take any more innocent lives!"_

No. She's wasn't like the white-haired boy at all. She was even _more_ stupid.

Kanda wished he could leave. He didn't want to see Bellerose like…this.

_"Kanda, I don't know if I'll be any help, but there's no hurt in at least trying, right?"_

_Look at yourself __**now**__, Bellerose_.

Kanda slowly reached out and touched the back of Chloe's hand. It was uncovered, revealing the strange black markings he had grown rather accustomed to seeing. He gently traced the marks with a frown. This was why he didn't get involved with other people. Attachments led to emotions, which inevitably led to hatred, pain, tragedy, and eventually, death.

So why did he always worry about Bellerose?

_Because you're attached._

Kanda scowled at the logical reason his brain had come up with. Like hell he was 'attached'!

_If you weren't, you wouldn't have brought that kid here or stayed all this time._

When had he gotten so…annoying?

_Face it. You like this girl._

He did not.

_She's strong, smart, beautiful—_

Not to mention annoying and stupid—

_You say that, and yet, you still stay with her._

It was his job. Komui had partnered them up for the mission. He preferred solo runs to partner ones.

_But you like her better than any other exorcist in the Order._

Why did his brain have to make such valid points about this?

_Because you lo—_

Kanda shook his head to clear his mind of such…foolish thoughts. He glanced back down at Chloe and sighed. He couldn't get his head straight.

"Get better soon, you insufferable idiot," Kanda muttered under his breath. "I've got no one to talk to otherwise."

He pulled his hand back and got to his feet. He had told Matron he would stay, but he needed to go.

"…Kan…da…"

The Japanese exorcist froze. Was that…? He turned back to Chloe and sighed. Her blue-green eyes were half-open and unseeing, and her free hand was reaching out to grasp something that wasn't there. Kanda gently grabbed Chloe arm and pushed it back down on the bed while covering her eyes with his other hand.

"Sleep, Bellerose," he whispered.

"…but…"

"No buts, or I'll tie you to the bed myself."

"…fine…cabron…" **(3)**

Kanda felt Chloe's body relax after a few moments and released her wrist. He pulled his hand over from the red-haired girl's eyes, but a hand quickly reached up and grabbed his in mid-air. Chloe practically smirked in her sleep as her fingers loosely gripped Kanda's, and Kanda was glad she was unconscious so she couldn't see his flushed face.

"You enjoy making my life hell, don't you, Bellerose?"

Kanda swore he saw the red-haired girl's smirk widen even more.

* * *

"Oh my."

That was the only intelligent phrase Komui could come up with when he walked into the infirmary with Matron. He hadn't meant to keep her for so long. The sun had almost completely set. The pink and orange rays illuminated the bed Chloe was occupying, along with two unexpected visitors.

"So _this_ is where Sasha went," Komui mused while heading for the bed. "I'll let Reever know to call off the search."

"I was more surprised to see Kanda-kun here," Matron stated as she came up beside the supervisor.

Said exorcist was currently sitting on the floor with his head resting against the mattress, and his fingers were loosely intertwined with Chloe's.

"It would be a crime to wake them," Komui said with a smile.

"Agreed. Besides, I think it's rather cute to see them like this," Matron said as she grabbed two blankets from the next bed.

"You said it."

Matron gently placed a cover over Sasha, and she draped the other one across Kanda's shoulders.

"Well, good night, Supervisor. See you in the morning."

"Yes. I'll see you then."

* * *

**Short once again, I know. The last 3 chapters were actually one at some point, but I broke them up in order to make it smoother; hence, the shortness.**

**Tranlsations:**

**(1) padryshka - **means "friend" in Russian. Didn't have it last chapter cause I didn't think to use it until this one. Oh well...

**(2) Reinigen - **throw back from Chapter...3, maybe? It means "cleanse" in German.

**(3) cabron - **Apparently, it's Chloe nickname for Kanda. It's in a lot of the previous chapters if you want a translation.

**By the way: No man's land = **land that is not occupied or more specifically land that is under dispute between countries or areas that will not occupy it because of fear or uncertainty.

**Just thought you'd like to know!**

**Reviews are welcome! Thanks for reading!  
**


	10. Chapter 10: Melee

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** **Hi again! I've suddenly found myself with more time to write, as well as more inspiration! Maybe it's because November is Nation Novel Writing Month...I don't know, but I like it. I'm also celebrating the fact that I am no longer failing AP Calculus! Go math! XD**

**Anyway, I will do my best to update as often as I can, but I can make no promises.**

**Reviews:**

**E. R. Burke - **I'm glad you like her. And goodness, you're making me blush! *^^* Oh, and updates will hopefully come quickly for the next month or two (kind of depends on school and soccer). Thanks for reading!

**SeikaDragon - **Thanks for clearing that up! I will admit that my Spanish is getting kind of rusty thanks to the fact that I don't have any free periods for Spanish class this year, so I appreciate all the help that I can get! And I'm also glad that you like my story!

**Lathya - **Ah yes...Kanda was SO tired because he was *cough* worried *cough*. Not that he would admit it or anything...even Kanda can be cute sometimes!

**LenaleeLee01 - **Thanks for your messages! I started writing this story when -Man went on hiatus just after the battle with the level 4 at Timothy's orphanage to pass the time until Hoshino-san updated again. I'm glad you like it!

**Disclaimer:** **If I owned it, I wouldn't be writing for _free_ for a fan fiction web site. I'd be raking in the cash with my mad drawing and writing skills. So yeah, Chloe, other OCs, and the plot belong to me, and I'm just borrowing the -Man characters to make my story better. Enough said.**

**One more note: This chapter is just a bunch of interaction between Kanda and Chloe, as well as a bit between Allen and Chloe. I wanted to give my poor OC a chance to heal a bit before another mission...anyway, enjoy!  
**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 10: Melee  
**

The spacious infirmary made Bellerose appear even smaller than she already was, Kanda decided as he watched the red-haired girl. It was unsettling to see someone he possibly considered an equal in strength (not that she would ever know that) in such a place. Humans were so fragile.

"How do you feel, Chloe?" Lenalee asked from her seat on Chloe's left.

"Better now that I'm not missing three pints of blood," the red-haired girl replied with a smile.

"I'd think so," Allen chipped in from his place at the foot of the bed.

"Is it true that Yuu-chan carried you all the way to the infirmary, Rouge-chan?" Lavi asked from beside Lenalee.

The three exorcists leaned forward in anticipation of Chloe's answer, and the red-haired girl flushed lightly while nodding.

"I was…indisposed, and Kanda didn't want me to slow him down, so…"

Chloe trailed off in mid-thought and turned her head towards the window.

"Aw, Yuu is so sweet!"

"Watch it, Usagi," Kanda growled while crossing his arms.

"Yuu-chan, you meanie!"

Chloe let out a sigh. Lavi could be such a child sometimes.

"As much as I hate to say this, I have to ask all of you to leave now," Matron said as she approached Chloe's bed. "I need to change Miss Bellerose's bandages, and I'm sure she would prefer to have it done in privacy."

Lenalee, Lavi, and Allen said a quick goodbye to Chloe before heading for the exit, but Kanda stayed behind. He had something he needed to confirm.

"Kanda-kun, if you are going to stay, please turn around," Matron ordered.

The Japanese exorcist refrained from rolling his eyes and obeyed nonetheless. It would be easier to get what he wanted if he indulged the woman's whims. He noticed Chloe's breathing hitch occasionally as Matron quickly wrapped fresh gauze bandages around her wounds, and he heard the sheets rustling when Bellerose's hands gripped them. She was still in pain even after a week of healing. Kanda vaguely wondered if all humans recovered at such a slow rate.

"Let me know if you need anything, Chloe," Matron said when she finished.

"I will. Thank you."

Matron shuffled away as Chloe settled back against the pillows, and Kanda turned back to face the red head.

"Why do you go so far for people you hardly know?" he finally asked after a few moments.

"I think that's the longest thing you've said to me since we met, Kanda."

"Stop being stupid, Bellerose."

Chloe smirked at Kanda.

"Sorry," she said. "It's what I've always been taught to do."

"You've been taught to risk bleeding to death to save people?"

"You could say that."

Kanda shook his head.

"You're an even bigger idiot than Moyashi."

"And your hair is twice as long as mine, making you more girly than me," Chloe said while sticking out her tongue.

It took every ounce of Kanda's will to keep from hitting the girl, and he could feel his left eye twitch when Chloe started to chuckle at him.

"Anything else, Kanda?" the red-haired girl asked once she regained her composure.

"Che. Just get healed already, Bellerose," Kanda replied while turning towards the exit.

"Aye, aye, el capitan."

He could hear the laughter in Chloe's voice and smiled slightly. She was going to be all right after all.

* * *

On most Sunday afternoons in the Order, everyone used their sanctioned "day of rest" to take some leisure time. The cafeteria stayed busy for most of the day, while the training area and the science department stayed mostly empty. No matter what function any one person served at Headquarters, he or she was allotted Sunday to rest and recuperate. In times of fierce battles against the Earl and his akuma, such luxuries as a day of rest were few in number, but Komui felt that everyone—not just the exorcists or the scientists—needed a break from work. No one objected.

However, this particular Sunday afternoon, most of the occupants of the Order could be found in one place.

"My God! Are those two even _human_?"

"I didn't know the human body could even move like that!"

Who could everyone be talking about?

"That girl…she's a monster!"

"Nah. It's just Rouge-chan."

Ah.

"BaKanda is getting his ass kicked…by a _girl_!"

"Allen-kun!"

"Sorry, Lenalee…"

Yes. On a nice, sunny Sunday afternoon, most of the Dark Order was crowded into the training area to watch Kanda Yuu and Chloe Bellerose beat the living daylights out of each other.

At first, Kanda and Chloe had only exchanged light blows that wouldn't even leave marks as a warm up, but as time progressed, they began to challenge each other with fancy footwork and other moves that the small group onlookers could barely follow. The random finders and scientists milling about the training area had quickly gathered around where Kanda and Chloe were "sparring," which in turn spread news of the match to the entire Order in a matter of minutes. A large crowd gathered around the training area, but the two exorcists were too engrossed in their fighting to pay much attention to anything else.

As in any good fight, bets were taken as to who would come out the victor of the match, and soon, two sides were formed around the training area. One side cheered enthusiastically for the red-haired newcomer, while the other side rooted for the familiar Japanese exorcist. Lavi, Lenalee, and Allen decided against picking a certain side (though Lavi did periodically shout, "Good one, Rouge-chan!" when Chloe landed a good hit against Kanda) but stayed to watch.

The two combatants appeared to be completely ignorant of the onlookers as they fought. They battled with such grace and fluidity that it seemed as if they were locked in a deadly dance with no clear ending. Ten minutes after the "warm up," Kanda and Chloe were still going strong and appeared to be evenly matched in speed and strength despite their differences in body type and size.

One of the finders on Kanda's side decided to try to solve this "problem" by tossing a _bokken_ into the middle of the fight. Kanda easily caught the wooden training sword, and he turned to Chloe with a smirk. However, Chloe's "fans" (to keep from losing their hard earned money so early in the fight) managed to obtain a _bokken_ for the red-haired girl as well, and Kanda and Chloe were facing off once again.

To the crowd's (and Kanda's) utter surprise, Chloe Bellerose was not only an excellent hand-to-hand fighter, but she was quite proficient at using a sword as well. While her style was not as elegant as Kanda's own, Chloe held her own against a fully trained samurai without much trouble. It was an amazing sight to witness.

From the two fighters' points of view, this match was nothing more than a way to release the stress that had been weighing them down for weeks on end. They hadn't planned on fighting for so long and with such a large amount of people watching them, but the thrill and adrenaline pumping through their veins wouldn't allow them to stop. Plus, neither of them really wanted to lose.

Twenty minutes after the match had "officially" started, Kanda and Chloe were standing on opposite sides of the training area with tired, yet determined expressions on their faces. Chloe's _bokken_ was split down the side and splintering. Kanda's weapon was cracked in the center and on the verge of breaking in half. Chloe's shirt and pants were torn, revealing patches of bruised or bloodied skin, and a large purple bruise was blossoming on her left cheek. Kanda's clothes and skin didn't look any better off than Chloe's, but he had also managed to lose his hair tie sometime during the match. He had a suspicious feeling that it was in Chloe's pocket, but the red-haired girl wasn't allowing him anywhere close enough to confirm it. Her technique was rough but had no openings whatsoever.

"I think it's about time we finished this," Chloe said while swiping at the hair falling into her eyes.

"Agreed."

"Terms?"

"Winner gets to order the loser around for a week."

Chloe shook her head.

"A day."

"Five."

"Three."

"Four."

"Two and a half."

Kanda nodded after a moment.

"You're on."

With the stakes in place, the crowd watched in anticipation as Kanda and Chloe prepared for the final charge. No one blinked or breathed.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Chloe's left foot moved forward a fraction of a millimeter, and Kanda reacted to the change by lunging towards the red-haired girl as fast as he could. The Japanese exorcist aimed a bone-crushing horizontal slash at Chloe's ribs, but the red-haired girl back flipped out of the way without hesitation. Kanda continued forward as Chloe landed and thrust the _bokken_ in the girl's face in order to throw her off balance and gain the upper hand. Chloe sidestepped the attack and ducked underneath the slash that followed after it. She turned sharply on her heel and aimed a blow for Kanda's side, but the Japanese exorcist easily parried the _bokken_. Chloe broke the parry and lunged forward. She pulled back her right fist to punch Kanda and found her hand crushed in Kanda's left one. Both Kanda and Chloe took that opportunity to bring up their individual _bokken_ for one last attack, and the crowd gasped when the fighting abruptly came to an end.

Kanda had his broken _bokken_ pressed against Chloe's throat, and the tip of Chloe's shattered weapon was resting directly above Kanda's heart. Both would have been killing blows had they been using real swords.

"It's a tie. What do we do now?" Chloe asked after a moment.

"Whatever. Let's just take their money and get out of here," Kanda said while eying the crowd.

Chloe smirked and lowered her _bokken_.

"That's the best idea you've ever had, Kanda."

Lavi, Lenalee, and Allen recognized the evil expressions on the two exorcists' faces and hightailed it out of the training area as quickly as possible. The poor onlookers never saw it coming, and when they woke up a few minutes later, they realized that they had been completely cleaned out and that Kanda and Chloe were no where to be seen.

* * *

"Royal flush, gentlemen."

The group of finders surrounding the table sighed and reached into their pockets. Allen smirked as a small pile of crumbled bills landed in front of him. The sad thing was that he hadn't had to cheat much at all the past few rounds to win, but that was all right. He didn't want to give his poker secrets away just yet.

"Mind if I join in?"

Allen grinned when he saw Chloe standing beside the table.

"Sure. The blind is a shilling," the white-crowned exorcist replied.

The finders made room for the red-haired girl, and she reached into her pocket for the necessary coins as Allen dealt the cards. Once he finished, Allen glanced at his cards and resisted the urge to smirk. He wouldn't have to cheat much this round either.

The first two finders on Allen's left immediately folded, but Chloe and the final finder made bets. Allen decided it was worth trying to get as much money from his two opponents as possible and also made a bet. Chloe didn't object. The finder, however, let out a sigh and laid his cards down on the table. Allen flipped over three cards from the deck and placed them on the table in front of him. They were the jack of hearts, the queen of hearts, and the ace of spades. Allen had the eight of hearts and the nine of hearts, so he was set.

"Would you like to bet?" he asked Chloe.

The red-haired girl frowned slightly and raised the corner of her cards. She glanced up at Allen for a moment before reaching into her pocket once more.

"I'm all in," Chloe stated while dropping a large wad of bills down on the table.

Allen was speechless. There had to be at least…ten thousand pounds in that wad! He _had_ to win!

"Same here," the British exorcist said as he pushed his own pile of hard-earned cash into the middle of the table.

"Flip, Mr. Dealer."

Allen could hardly contain his excitement as he reached for the deck. He flipped the top card and nearly squealed in joy. He laid the ten of hearts down on the table and proceeded to flip the final card. It was a mere two of clubs.

"All right, show," Allen said with a grin.

He just knew he had won! He felt sorry for his fellow exorcist, but the fact that such a large amount of money was about to be his…Chloe would deal with it in time.

Too bad Allen Walker wasn't prepared for a tiny setback in his plan.

"Royal straight flush," Chloe stated as she tossed her cards onto the table.

Allen felt his jaw drop as he stared at the ace of hearts and the king of hearts lying in front of him. Chloe had won.

"Mr. Dealer, are you going to show your cards?" the red-haired girl asked.

Allen resisted the urge to glare at the girl and gently laid his eight of hearts and nine of hearts face up on the table.

"Straight flush," he murmured.

"Sorry, Allen," Chloe said while reaching for the pile of money. "Looks like it's my win."

The British exorcist was speechless as he watched Chloe count the money she'd won. He had purposefully stacked the deck so that _he_ would get a straight flush and everyone else would get low pairs. How did Chloe get such _good_ cards?

"I want a rematch," Allen said as Chloe got to her feet.

"On another day, perhaps," the red-haired girl said.

She climbed over the bench and took a few steps towards the door before turning back around to face Allen.

"By the way," she began, "stacking only works if you know the order of the deck. Even with shuffling, some cards just tend to magically _appear_ in certain places, if you know what I mean. And besides that, gambling is a sin."

With that said, Chloe walked out of the cafeteria, leaving a handful of extremely confused finders and a fuming British exorcist in her wake.

* * *

Kanda was, needless to say, surprised when he heard the "news."

"You beat Moyashi out of _how_ much?"

Chloe stopped walking for a moment to do a mental calculation or two.

"I don't know…around twelve thousand pounds, I guess."

"You guess?"

The red head shrugged.

"I stopped counting after five thousand. Allen looked too heartbroken by then."

"What did his face look like?"

"Kind of depressed mixed together with surprised with anger added to it."

Chloe attempted to mimic Allen's expression, and Kanda couldn't help but smirk.

"Wish I'd been there."

"I feel bad for Allen."

"Don't. Moyashi'll get over it somehow."

"I hope you're right. I'd feel bad taking his not-so-hard-earned money from him if you weren't."

"Whatever, Bellerose. You know you don't feel bad at all."

Chloe glared at the Japanese exorcist.

"That's not true! Of course I—,"

"You had no qualms about taking the money from the crowd earlier, so why would you feel any different now?" Kanda asked with a smirk.

The red-haired girl opened and closed her mouth a few times as she contemplated an answer to the Japanese exorcist's question, but in the end, she gave up trying to find a reason and settled for glaring at him instead.

"It was your idea," Chloe finally murmured.

"What was that, Bellerose?"

The loudspeaker squealed loudly, interrupting Chloe's next comment, and both exorcists winced at the high-pitched noise grating at their eardrums.

_"All exorcists report to Supervisor Komui Lee's office, immediately."_

Kanda and Chloe exchanged glances. The red head shrugged her shoulders, and the Japanese exorcist rolled his eyes while turning around to head in the opposite direction they had been going. What could Komui possibly want this time?

* * *

**And that's it! So, what do _you _think dear ole' Komui wants with the exorcists? (I don't even know, and I'm supposed to be the one writing this story...oops...)**

**So that's the update for now! There was no translation section this time, sadly. Maybe next time?**

**Anyway, I might be able to update again this weekend, but don't hold me to that! I might be getting out of school tomorrow to go to college for a day, but that just means all of the homework I left undone tonight will have to be done tomorrow along with tomorrow's work. Ain't high school great? Where's my diploma? I want to graduate already! **

**All right, rant done. Reviews are welcome, and thanks for reading!  
**


	11. Chapter 11: Aderlangriff

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** Hi! Sorry it took so long to update. Life kind of got in the way last week. Thank goodness for Thanksgiving holidays! I get nine days to pig out, sleep late, and write! If only it truly turned out that way...

Anyway, thanks to those that reviewed, and sorry last chapter was so crappy. I say crappy because I absolutely loathe "filler" chapters no matter how necessary they are.

**Disclaimer: **Chloe and Charlotte and the plot are mine. Everything else is definitely _not_ mine.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Aderlangriff  
**

"Red" was the only word that could truly describe the desolate landscape surrounding the exorcists. Why red? Red because of the blood staining the one fertile ground; red because of the broken bodies scattered over remains of a once peaceful town; red because of the blazing crimson sun rising in the East. Blood had been spilt over the land like never before.

None of the dead had been slain by an akuma. There would have been ashes in place of bodies had that been the case. No, someone or a group of someone's had methodically gone through the innocent city and taken the life of every individual they met—men, women, and children, old and young alike.

The war-weary exorcists could only stare in muted horror at the scene of mass carnage. The suspects were select in number but deadly in battle: the Noah clan. Encounters with members of this lethal family had left a great number of exorcists, finders, and other comrades alike, dead or severely wounded. The Noah possessed inhuman strength and abilities, and only a few of these fatal individuals had been clearly identified by the Order. The Grand Generals now wished to change that status.

"Do you think it was Tyki Mikk?" Lenalee asked as she knelt down beside one of the corpses.

"No. Tyki Mikk's usual method is death by hemorrhage," Lavi replied from his place next to another body.

"I doubt it was Road. Even she's not this grotesque with her mutilation," Allen stated while prodding the corpse of a man slumping back against a broken brick wall.

The body keeled over at the white-crowned exorcist's touch with the torso flopping in one direction as the legs went the other. Allen took a step away from the corpse and walked behind the wall it had been leaning against. Lenalee and Lavi cringed when they heard the sounds of retching coming from the spot a moment later. Even Link grimaced as Allen stumbled back into view more pale than before, and the Junior Inspector opened his mouth to inquire the British exorcist about his health when the wireless golem let out a loud squeal.

_"Allen Walker, Lenalee Lee, Lavi, and Inspector Link, report to the nearest Ark gate immediately!"_

The voice was unfamiliar to the group.

"What's wrong?" Link asked.

_"Generals Tiedoll and Bellerose's group was ambushed by akuma. They called for reinforcements."_

"A couple of akuma aren't too hard to take care of," Lavi stated.

_"Supervisor Komui insists that you all report to the gate, immediately!"_

Allen had already summoned the gate before Link could say anything, and the group hurried into the Ark without a word.

"Which door?" Lenalee asked the golem floating beside her head.

_"Thirty-three."_

The correctly numbered door was thrown open without further adieu, and the three exorcists leapt through the space with their Innocence already activated.

* * *

Blood…death…gore…it was everywhere. The walls, the ground, even the sky seemed to be tainted with crimson. The large cloud of death machines floating above the destroyed town did nothing to dispel the notion either.

Among the bullets and other dark matter raining from the bleak heavens, a small knot of fighters held their ground against the large army. One fought with threads; another with "art"; a third with a sword; two with ominous powers; and the last fought with a long stick. (Where she had gotten the stick, no one knew.) The "art" and the threads took on the akuma floating above the group's heads, and the sword, stick, and akuma-esque abilities took on the remaining killing machines on the ground.

The fighters were very strong. They had impressive endurance as well. They had been battling the akuma for a solid hour without showing any outward signs of exhaustion. However, humans and half-humans alike could not avoid fatigue forever. Even after four more combatants joined into the battle, the original six still took on more enemies despite having fought for longer. It was a foolhardy measure that was going to hurt them in the future…if they lasted long enough to see it anyway.

"Mind if I join in the fun, Tyki?"

Tyki frowned while turning to the red-haired woman standing at his side.

"What are you doing here, Charlotte? You're supposed to be helping Road."

"We finished her homework hours ago," the red head stated.

"Then why are you here?"

Charlotte let out a sigh and glanced over at her fellow Noah.

"Do you not want me to be here, Tyki Mikk?" she asked.

"No, it's just…" Tyki trailed off with a scowl. "Never mind."

"I already knew that she was here, if that's what you're wondering," Charlotte stated a second later.

"Then why did you come? I thought—,"

Charlotte raised her hand to stop Tyki from continuing.

"The Order did a lot of things to a lot of innocent people that it needs to pay for, starting with the project that made Chloe and me into what we are now," the red head said after a few moments. "The higher-ups thought that they had gotten rid of all the evidence of their heinous experiments, and I'm going to show them that such is not the case."

Tyki turned back to the battlefield. His gold eyes easily picked out a certain red-haired girl, and he watched as she fought the akuma.

"What are you planning on doing?" Tyki finally asked while facing Charlotte once more.

The red-haired woman let out a soft chuckle and smirked up at the Noah of pleasure.

"Something those exorcists are never going to forget."

* * *

There was no end to the akumas.

Kanda cursed as he slashed a level 2. The world spun in front of his eyes, and the left side of his chest ached abominably. His body was demanding rest, but there was no time. There were akuma to kill.

He raised Mugen as a level 3 sped towards him, and he readied himself for the inevitable clash when the akuma just suddenly…stopped.

"Well, if it isn't the pretty samurai from the Ark. Last time I saw you, I didn't think you were going to make it."

Kanda's eyes widened as his grip on Mugen tightened. He knew that voice.

"Looks like Chloe fixed you up really well, Mr. Samurai. I wonder how she did too. We were only taught how to take life, not restore it."

His heart pounded wildly in his chest. Not from fear; not from anger. No…it was something darker, much more primal than that. His senses were screaming for him to move, to do anything to get away from the fatal entity lurking behind him. Kanda's body, however, betrayed him and remained rooted in place.

"Mr. Samurai, you were one of the Order's experiments, weren't you?"

The voice was so close now. Kanda silently cursed and willed his body to move, but to no avail.

"Did you know there were experiments that ultimately led to the conclusions that created you, Mr. Samurai?"

Move…move…move, damn it!

"Before the Order even thought of making the 'second exorcists,' they tried to create the ultimate anti-akuma human weapon."

A cool hand brushed Kanda's shoulder as the red-haired woman he had tried so hard to forget appeared in front of him.

"Many innocent children died before the project succeeded. The products of the scientists' research were so foul that those working on the project were immediately fired, and the things that they had created were locked away. The things were supposed to be dealt with, but, ironically enough, the executioner too pity on the poor souls and took them away instead."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kanda whispered as he stared into the Noah's cruel gold eyes.

The woman smiled and leaned in towards his ear.

"Because I'm going to awaken the very thing the Order tried to destroy all those years ago."

Kanda saw the Noah glance over her shoulder and followed her gaze. She was staring straight at—

"Yes. It's time for her true nature to wake, so don't you try to stop me, Mr. Samurai," the woman said while turning her back to the Japanese exorcist.

The Noah slowly brought her hands together in front of her face and began to chant. A faint glow surrounded her body, and the air grew heavy with each word she uttered. Kanda had no idea what the Noah had in mind, but he wasn't about to find out either.

"Bellerose, get the hell out of here!"

The tension that had seeped into the air suddenly disappeared, and Chloe immediately whipped around at Kanda's warning. The red-haired exorcist's eyes widened when she saw the Noah standing in front of Kanda, and she attempted to run towards him before a wall of akuma surrounded her once again. The Noah slowly turned around and glared up at Kanda.

"I thought I told you not to stop me, Mr. Samurai," she said while lowering her hands to her sides. "You must be punished."

The pain hit Kanda before he even realized that he had been struck. It hurt so badly that he couldn't even scream. The ground rushed up to meet Kanda moments later, and darkness clouded his vision as blood poured from his body.

"KANDA!"

_Get away…Bellerose…_the Japanese exorcist thought as the red-haired girl sprinted towards him.

The last thing Kanda saw as consciousness slipped away from him was the Noah's vicious smile.

* * *

_"KANDA!"_

Chloe's panicked shout gained the other exorcists' attention, and they stopped fighting for a single second as Kanda fell to the ground in a bloody heap. Anger immediately gripped the Innocence-wielders. They began destroying akumas left and right in order to reach their fallen comrade with rage-fueled strength. Lenalee was the first one to break through the fray and ran towards Kanda's prone body. She knelt down beside the Japanese exorcist, keeping her eyes away from the ghastly wound covering his abdomen.

"Kanda! Kanda!" Lenalee said while gently tapping his cheek.

The Japanese exorcist's eyelids fluttered, but he didn't wake.

"That one is a goner, second exorcist or not."

Lenalee's head snapped up in the direction the unfamiliar female voice had come from, and the Chinese exorcist immediately stepped protectively in front of Kanda.

"Who are you?" Lenalee asked.

"No one special," the woman replied with a grin.

"Lenalee, get down!"

The Chinese exorcist hit the ground without question, and she felt a strong gust of wind pass over her mere milliseconds later. Lenalee lifted up her head after a moment and gasped. Chloe was lying at the strange woman's feet, and the red-haired girl's body convulsed as she coughed up mouthfuls of blood.

"Is that the best you can do, Chloe?" the woman asked while bending over the writhing exorcist.

Chloe let out a strangled cry when the woman slammed a booted foot down on her ribs, and even Lenalee could hear the 'crack' when Chloe's ribs broke from the pressure. The woman stared down at Chloe for a moment before reaching down and grabbing the front of the red-haired exorcist's uniform jacket.

"You've become weak, Chloe," the woman said as she roughed hauled the red head to her feet. "Becoming an exorcist was the biggest mistake you've ever made, little sister."

The woman slammed her fist into Chloe's jaw with enough to send Chloe back to the ground and rip her jacket to shreds. Chloe remained motionless on the ground, and blood dripped from her head and her mouth. The woman huffed and placed her hands on her hips.

"I thought I could force you to awaken by beating, but I guess I'll have to go with plan B now," she said with a sigh.

With a flick of the woman's wrist, Chloe's body was lifted into the air, and Lenalee could faintly see something wrapped around the red-haired girl's wrists, stomach, and legs. Something that looked an awful lot like wire…

"Akuma, come here."

The woman motioned to a level 3 that had been observing the proceedings from the side, and the akuma slowly walked towards the white-clad figure until it was only a few meters away.

"Yes, Noah-sama?"

_Noah-sama?_ Lenalee thought. _That woman is a Noah?_

"Shoot her," the woman said while pointing at Chloe.

Lenalee's eyes widened, and she quickly got to her feet as the level 3's arm transformed into the barrel of a gun.

"Move, Miss Exorcist, and Samurai boy dies," the woman—no, the Noah—hissed with a glare in Lenalee's direction.

Lenalee felt her legs buckle underneath the intensity of Noah's malignant gaze, and she fell to her knees as her body trembled in fear. The woman turned back to the akuma and nodded. The level 3 took a moment to aim before firing, and Chloe's body jerked despite being bound as the akuma's bullet tore through her body.

The binds keeping Chloe upright disappeared once the shot had landed, and Chloe's body slumped to the ground in tangled jumble of blood, uniform, and limbs. The woman approached the body after a moment and nudged it with the edge of her pristine white boot. Chloe's hand jerked in response, and the woman smiled.

"I wonder which one you'll be when you wake up."

Lenalee had no time to ponder the statement before the air suddenly grew extremely heavy with power. The Chinese exorcist hit the ground when the unknown force increased, and she fought to keep her head up to watch the woman's next move. What Lenalee saw next was something she wished she could forever erase from memory.

"…Chloe…" was all Lenalee could utter at the sight.

The red-haired girl stood above the white-clad woman with a wicked grin on her blood-flecked face, and her hands were covered in dark red blood. Chloe slowly brought up one hand to eyelevel and gently lapped at the crimson liquid staining her skin with her tongue. Her eyes, which were normally a gentle blue-green color, had turned dark vermillion and held such malice that Lenalee couldn't bear to meet her gaze.

"Good. And here I thought that part of you had died forever, Chloe."

Chloe's mouth curled into a snarl as the Noah got back to her feet.

"You should thank me. I finally gave you freedom," the woman said while brushing the dirt from her clothes. "I'm providing you a feast, so don't hate me yet."

The snarl on Chloe's face quickly morphed into a smile when akumas began to materialize behind the Noah, and the red-haired girl lunged for the mechanical killing machines faster than Lenalee could follow.

Screams filled the air a few seconds later, and blood and body parts rained down from the sky as Chloe cut through the akumas with her bare hands. Lenalee looked away from the growing carnage and felt bile rising up in her throat. She slowly sat up on her knees as footsteps approached.

"Lenalee!" Allen called as he skidded into view.

The white-crowned exorcist knelt down beside Kanda, completely unaware of Chloe and the Noah, and grimaced at the severity of the Japanese exorcist's wounds.

"Yuu-chan!" Lavi screeched when he arrived.

"…Shut up…baka…usagi…" Kanda ground out through clenched teeth as his eyelids slid open.

"Yuu's alive!"

Kanda glared at Lavi and attempted to sit up. He only got so far as lifting his shoulders off the ground before his eyes squeezed shut in pain and his head dropped back down.

"Kanda, you shouldn't sit up until—,"

"Where's…Bellerose…?" Kanda asked, interrupting Lenalee in mid-sentence.

Allen and Lavi shrugged. They had no idea. Kanda glanced over at Lenalee, but the Chinese exorcist refused to make eye contact.

"Lenalee…tell me."

Kanda's voice, soft but demanding, made Lenalee drop her head, and she could feel tears streaming down her cheeks as her body shook.

"She's not Chloe anymore."

"What are you talking about, Lenalee?" Allen asked.

Lenalee lifted up her head and pointed behind her.

"See for yourself," she stated.

Allen's and Lavi's eyes widened when they saw Chloe, and their faces turned ashen at the destruction she had caused. Kanda sat up, ignoring the pain seething throughout his body and stared at Chloe.

Blood dripped from her hands and clothes and coated her red hair. She smiled as she destroyed the akuma. Her red eyes drank in the blood, death, and destruction as if it were the only pleasure she had in life. As if killing was her sole purpose.

"…Shit…" Kanda murmured while placing a hand on the ground beside him. "I told her to run."

Before Lavi, Allen, or Lenalee could stop him, Kanda had gotten to his feet and lunged for Chloe. The Japanese exorcist and the red-haired girl tumbled to the ground, and Chloe growled as she fought against Kanda. Despite his wound, Kanda used his larger size to pin Chloe to the ground and held her still as she struggled in his grip.

"Bellerose, get a hold of yourself, you stupid idiot!"

Chloe froze at the sound of Kanda's voice, and blue seeped into her red irises. Not enough to obliterate the scarlet, but enough that Kanda knew he was getting somewhere.

"Next time you'll listen when I tell you to run, Bellerose," the Japanese exorcist stated while watching the red-haired girl. "Now stop sleeping and get up, or I'll kick your ass!"

Kanda sat back as Chloe's body began to convulse, and he glared at the Noah standing off to the side.

"You have become a real nuisance, Mr. Samurai," the woman said with a frown as she raised a hand.

Allen, Lenalee, and Lavi materialized in front of Kanda and Chloe a moment later, and the Noah scowled while lowering her arm.

"Until next time, exorcists," the woman hissed.

A door appeared behind her, and she stepped back into it. The last view the exorcists got was of the Noah was her scathing glare.

Kanda resisted the urge to sigh and glanced down at Chloe instead. Her blue-green eyes were wide open, and she was staring at her bloodstained hands in horror.

"What the hell did I do?"

* * *

**All right, I hope all of you are happy now that I have updated. Even if you aren't, that's fine too.  
**

**By the way:  
**

**Aderlangriff = **"Eagle Attack"; term for projected "decisive attack" by the _Luftwaffe_ on RAF Fighter Command.

**Criticism and comments are welcome! Until next time! XD  
**


	12. Chapter 12: Härteübung

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** Hi again! I know it's been over a week since I last updated, but life kind of got in the way. I have exams to prepare for in the next couple of weeks, so until Christmas holidays start, I can't guarantee rapid chapters. In fact, there is a good chance that I won't be able to update for the next two weeks. Sorry, but I have to pass school so I can go to college.

Anyway, this chapter is just some good ole' KandaChloe interaction. Don't like it? I don't care. It fits with the plot, so it stays!

Thanks to everyone that reviewed the last chapter and all the previous chapters! I enjoy your comments and hope they'll continue coming!

**Disclaimer:** Chloe and the plot are mine. If I owned everything else, my life would be much better!

* * *

**Chapter 12: Härteübung**

_Twack. Twack._

Kanda glanced over at the clock sitting on the bedside table. It was not five minutes past three in the morning, and Bellerose was already at it again.

_Twack. Twack. Crack._

Having a room close to the training area was both a blessing and a curse, it seemed. Kanda let out a sigh and leaned back against the wall. Bellerose was just releasing stress, he told himself. Who in their right minds "released stress" at three o'clock in the morning?

Kanda knew exactly what was bothering the red-haired girl. Waking up to a self-created massacre, no matter that it was akumas, would disturb anyone no matter that two weeks had already passed since the incident.

_Twack. Twack. Twack. Thud._

Kanda was already in the hallway before his mind even registered the fact that he was moving. His feet led the way to the training area, and he could hear a combination of heavy breathing and curses as the "twacking" started up again. The punching bag that had not gotten a lot of use in recent weeks had obviously become Bellerose's personal scapegoat judging from the streaks of blood covering the off-white canvas and the way it hung awkwardly from its chain. The Japanese exorcist silently made his way over and watched Bellerose.

The red-haired girl stared at the punching bag, as if it would suddenly come to life and start talking. Her face twisted into a scowl after a moment, and she launched into a furious salvo of punches and kicks. The attacks continued until the poor chain holding the punching bag up finally snapped after enduring many nights of continuous abuse. Chloe glared at the fallen punching bag. She must have really wanted to keep hitting it.

"How long do you plan on watching, Kanda?"

Kanda pushed off the pillar he had been leaning against and walked over to where Chloe was standing. She slowly turned until she was facing the Japanese exorcist as he approached. Her blue-green eyes stared straight through Kanda, past the training area, even past the Order itself. No matter how many times Kanda insisted that he had no emotions—that he didn't care about anyone—he couldn't stop the worry that filled his mind at Chloe's haunted expression.

He wanted to see the Chloe Bellerose that had tricked Allen out of his money, that had lied to Lavi, that had joked with him despite facing certain death. The girl standing before him was not the Chloe Bellerose that he knew. She was the broken teenager Chloe Bellerose was never meant to be.

"I'm a monster, Kanda."

Chloe stared down at her hands, just like she had done that fateful day. Emotions Kanda couldn't recognize played across her face until only shame remained, and the red-haired girl wrapped her arms around her thin body as if to conserve what little warmth she had left. She was trying to ignore the feelings plaguing her mind and losing miserably.

Kanda had never comforted anyone. His sole purpose in life was to fight, not to console. He couldn't die, but he couldn't feel either. He was the real monster, not her.

"Since when did you become such a weakling, Bellerose?"

Chloe flinched at Kanda's harsh words. Her gaze slid to the floor, but Kanda hadn't missed the flash of anger in her blue-green eyes. It was a bit of the old Chloe Bellerose breaking through the façade of the scared girl in front of him. He continued pushing.

"You said that you weren't going to let _her_ take any more innocent lives, and here you are cowering in fear. Some protector you are!"

"Shut up."

Kanda smirked. Chloe's words were spoken in a voice barely above a whisper, but they were still firm. He was getting through.

"The Order doesn't need cowards. You should leave now while you still can."

"Shut the hell up!"

That had done it. Kanda couldn't help but wince as Chloe drove her arm into his throat with all her strength. He hadn't seen her move at all before he found himself pinned against the wall. Chloe's eyes were blazing with anger, and she glared at Kanda for a few moments before taking a deep breath and releasing the Japanese exorcist.

"I want to protect people. I'm not going to give up and leave," the red-haired girl said. "I just don't want to lose myself again. I couldn't take it if I hurt the people I cared about because I went berserk."

"You can't protect anyone if you can't trust yourself and everyone around you, Bellerose. And if you ever go berserk, I'll personally kick your ass until you come to."

Kanda nearly laughed after he said that. Such motivational words were out of character for him. However, the meaning was not lost on Chloe, and she cracked the first true smile Kanda had seen in weeks. The shadow that had fallen over her for fourteen long days was beginning to lift.

"I'd say thanks, but you wouldn't like that, would you Kanda?" Chloe asked as she turned to leave the training area.

"Che. Do what you want," the Japanese exorcist replied.

"Well, thanks for your help, Kanda-_sama_," the red-haired girl said with a smile.

She suddenly stopped and glanced over her shoulder at the Japanese exorcist.

"And thanks for trying to protect me from Charlotte. I don't know what I would've done without you, Kanda."

Kanda felt his cheeks growing warm and looked away. He was blushing like a hormonal teenager, not a battle-hardened exorcist. It was embarrassing!

"By the way, Kanda, I think you look really cute when you blush," Chloe added with a laugh.

Kanda glared and lunged towards the red head. Chloe had anticipated his move, and she was already halfway down the corridor before Kanda had even left the training area, leaving the Japanese exorcist fuming and flushing behind her.

* * *

The next few days were uneventful. No new missions were handed out, and even the Science Department wasn't as busy as usual. Well, until Inspector Leverrier returned from Central for the first time in a month.

Kanda noticed as he went about his day that Chloe had mysteriously "disappeared" when the inspector arrived, and he quickly found out the reason why.

"The inspector called me into Komui's office to follow up on my report about the latest mission," Lavi stated as he flipped through some volume Bookman wanted read by the next morning. "He was really interested in what happened to Rouge-chan."

Kanda frowned and lowered his chopsticks.

"What did you tell him?"

"I told the good inspector that Chloe took out the rest of the akumas and the Noah that attacked you, and that she ran over to help you afterwards, which was why she was covered in blood."

The Japanese exorcist was surprised. He knew Lavi embellished the truth at times, but the Bookman apprentice never lied about what happened during missions. It was like the boy was programmed to always tell the story exactly as it happened without adding extraneous details or leaving important facts out. However, Kanda decided that maybe his image of the red-haired boy was not as complete as he thought it was. But, those thoughts could be sorted out at a later time.

After talking to Lavi, Kanda found Allen and Lenalee, who both told him a similar story. If Leverrier was checking to make sure their stories corresponded with each other that meant the inspector knew the exorcists weren't telling the truth. The only ones the inspector hadn't met with were Kanda and Chloe, but it was only a matter of time before they were sought out for questioning as well.

Kanda made his way back to his room as the sun began to set. He had a feeling all of his usual haunts were being watched, and he didn't want to have to deal with Inspector Leverrier and his questions.

When the door was closed and securely locked behind him, Kanda flopped down onto his bed with a sigh. His abdomen still ached from his near-evisceration even after nearly three weeks, and deep breaths pulled at the slowly healing wound. Komui had been concerned when Kanda told him that the curse wasn't healing him as quickly as it should have been, and it was all Kanda could do to escape from the Science Department and its infernal tests. Kanda knew exactly why he wasn't already healed.

The curse would either heal him instantly or slowly. Rapid healing only occurred when he was facing off against Noahs or akumas alone, but his body was completely worn out by the process. The slow, steady healing rate was what Kanda truly preferred. It put no real strain on his body or the lotus, and, while he was in pain for a longer period of time, he didn't have to worry about his body shutting down from fatigue.

Kanda closed his eyes. He just wanted to curl up and sleep until his body was completely healed. Too bad fate didn't want to comply with the Japanese exorcist's wish.

At the precise moment Kanda managed to doze off, he heard a light knock on his door.

"Kanda, you in there?"

The Japanese exorcist remained as still and silent as possible. Lavi wouldn't dare try to open the door if he got no answer.

"Whatever, I'll leave it under your door."

Kanda heard a gentle rustle as something was shoved through the small space between the floor and the door. He waited until Lavi's footsteps had faded to get out of bed and knelt down in front of his door. The piece of paper the red-haired boy slid under the door was decorated with bunnies of all shapes and sizes, and Kanda contemplated ripping it up on the spot when he saw something scrawled across the bottom of the paper in Lavi's trim script.

_"I found an interesting book that Yuu should look at. It's in the library's records section near the Bell to Cleo documents. It's got a picture of a rose on the cover, so it shouldn't be too hard for Yuu to miss. Have fun!"_

It wasn't hard to see that Lavi was trying to leave a message for Kanda within the actual message, and the Japanese exorcist smirked after a moment. If it wasn't so out of character, he might've actually thanked the red-haired boy. He decided to let Lavi off the hook for using his given name in the note instead. That made things even.

Kanda headed for the library in search of the "book" Lavi wanted him to check out. The Japanese exorcist walked into the large, book-filled room a few minutes later and scanned the shelves for the section Lavi had mentioned. There was no sign pointing Kanda in the right direction, so he was forced to search the entire place until he found the records Lavi had mentioned. Kanda's frustration was about to explode when he finally found the right section and glanced around for the "book." As Lavi had said, the "volume" in question wasn't too hard to find, and Kanda silently approached the table where the "book" was currently sitting near the back of the library.

"Jeez, Bellerose, you've found a hell of a place to hide," Kanda murmured as he sat down at the table.

Chloe shifted slightly but didn't wake. Kanda could see dark circles underneath the red-haired girl's eyes, and her expression was pinched in a combination of pain and exhaustion. There were numerous papers and books lying on the table around her. In her left hand, Chloe loosely clutched a pen, while her right held a chipped black mug.

"Oh, I didn't know you were here too, Kanda."

The Japanese exorcist watched as Lenalee fussed over Chloe. After tiding up the books and papers, as well as removing the pen and the mug from the red-haired girl's hands, Lenalee sat down in the chair facing Kanda.

"According to Bookman, Chloe hasn't left the library at all since she came in yesterday evening," Lenalee said after a long silence.

Kanda glanced over at the sleeping red-haired girl. No wonder no one could find her.

"I'm worried about her, Kanda. Chloe hasn't eaten or slept much since we got back from the last mission, she won't tell Nii-san about what happened, and—,"

"Lenalee."

The Chinese girl stopped rambling at Kanda's soft command, and she let out a long sigh while brushing her short hair from her eyes.

"Kanda, you know what's bothering Chloe, don't you?" she finally asked.

"Why would I—?"

"Because you're the only person she really trusts here. You and I both know that."

Kanda scowled. He knew Lenalee was right, but he didn't want to agree with her statement. The Japanese exorcist glared at Chloe. The red head was too troublesome for her own good.

"Bellerose is Bellerose. She'll work it out on her own," Kanda stated. "Don't worry about her."

Lenalee grinned at the Japanese boy and got to her feet.

"Fine. I won't worry if you carry Chloe back to her room. Sleeping in the library won't help anyone."

The Chinese girl was out of the library before Kanda even fully comprehended what she had said. He scowled and stood up.

"You'd better thank me for this later, Bellerose," he murmured as he grabbed the red-haired girl's wrist.

Chloe weakly struggled in her sleep as Kanda pulled her out of the chair and slung her arm across his shoulders, and her blue-green eyes opened slightly. She glanced over at Kanda with a confused expression on her face as her eyes focused. Once the red head saw who it was, she stopped struggling and allowed her eyelids to slide shut. Her body visibly relaxed as she leaned against Kanda, and she willingly let the Japanese exorcist steer her down the hallways.

As Kanda made his way through the Order with Chloe in tow, he realized something very, very important.

He had absolutely no clue where Chloe's room was.

Kanda scowled but didn't stop walking. He had two options. One was to go ask Komui and risk getting caught by Leverrier. The other was to take the exhausted girl back to his room and hope she didn't kill him when she woke up. Kanda decided the second choice was the lesser of two evils despite threat of potential bodily harm, and quickly headed for his room.

The Japanese exorcist was eminently relieved to find the hallway empty when he made it to his door, and he wasted no time in ushering Chloe into his room and locking the door behind them. Kanda deposited the red-haired girl on his bed, removed her shoes, and let out a long sigh. This was not how he had planned on spending the night.

Kanda walked over to the window next to his bed and sat down on the wide windowsill. He made a point of not looking over at his bed as he watched the sun sink below the tree tops. It was bad enough that he had to bring Chloe to his room, and Lenalee hadn't said to wait on the red-haired girl hand and foot. Not that he would've done that anyway, had the Chinese exorcist asked.

As the moon took its place in the sky, Kanda could hear whispers coming from his occupied bed. Chloe tossed and turned for a good hour without waking, and she muttered under her breath in languages Kanda couldn't understand. He could make out a few words that happened to be spoken in English, but nothing the red-haired girl said made sense. Judging from the urgency in her soft voice and how rapidly she was breathing, Kanda knew that whatever Chloe was reliving in her dreams was not pleasant.

Another hour passed and Chloe suddenly fell silent. Her incessant movements ceased as well, and Kanda got to his feet. He approached the bed and glanced down at Chloe. Her face was pale, and heat radiated from her body. Kanda let out a sigh and located an old, worn out shirt he hardly wore anymore. He also grabbed a small red bowl Lenalee had insisted on giving him for his sixteenth birthday and walked towards the door. The Japanese exorcist made impressive time in gathering cold water from the communal bathroom on the other end of the hallway. After making sure the door was locked behind him, Kanda crossed his room and laid the bowl of water down on his bedside table next to his hourglass.

"I can't believe you got yourself sick Bellerose," the Japanese exorcist muttered while ripping his old shirt into long strips.

"I'm not sick," Chloe whispered as her eyes slowly opened.

"You have a fever, Bellerose," Kanda stated with a scowl. "Last time I checked, a fever equals sickness."

"Shut up."

Kanda folded one of the strips of cloth and dipped it into the water. He allowed it to absorb a good amount of the cold liquid before reaching over and placing it on Chloe's forehead. The red-haired girl shivered and went to remove the damp cloth on her brow, but Kanda grabbed her hand in mid-air. Chloe glared up at the Japanese exorcist and attempted to free her hand. Kanda's grip didn't falter, and the red-haired girl quickly gave up and turned her gaze to the wall. Kanda let go of Chloe's hand and quickly pulled the blankets over her before going back to his seat on the windowsill.

"Why are you helping me?" Chloe asked after a few minutes.

Kanda didn't know how to answer. He remembered asking Chloe the same question before, but he never got a straight answer from her.

"I'm doing it for Lenalee," the Japanese exorcist finally replied.

Chloe chuckled and glanced over at Kanda with a smirk.

"I didn't think you were so whipped, Kanda-_sama_."

Kanda kept his gaze firmly on the window, which only made the red-haired girl's smirk widen.

"I'm not whipped."

"Are you going to blush again?"

"Shut up, Bellerose. Aren't you supposed to be sick?"

"I'm not an invalid," Chloe said while sitting up.

She picked up the cloth that had fallen from her forehead and placed it in the bowl of water as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kanda asked as Chloe got to her feet.

"Somewhere," the red-haired girl replied while taking a step towards the door.

Chloe staggered halfway to the door, and Kanda managed to catch her before she hit the hard floor.

"You're not going anywhere," the Japanese exorcist said while pulling Chloe back over to the bed.

"Oi, cabron, let me—," **(1)**

"You can't walk, Bellerose. Just shut up and sleep!" Kanda ordered.

Chloe stood fast and refused to lie down. Kanda gave the red-haired girl a light shove, but she dug her heels into the floor and glared up at him. The Japanese exorcist glared right back and waited for red head to make a move. When Chloe tried to run to the door a moment later, Kanda caught her wrist and pulled her backwards so she would fall onto the mattress. The plan would have worked perfectly if Chloe hadn't grabbed a fistful of Kanda's shirt and dragged him down with her as she fell.

Kanda raised himself up on his elbows after a second and glared down at Chloe. The red-haired girl stared back up at him with wide eyes, and a light flush covered her pale cheeks. Kanda noticed just how close he was to the red-haired girl and felt his face growing warm. Not only was his face mere inches away from Chloe's, his arms were on either side of the red-haired girl's head, and his right leg was sitting between Chloe's legs. Needless to say, they were in a very compromising position.

"I hate you, Kanda," Chloe murmured while turning her gaze away from him.

"Che. Just go to sleep. I'm not helping you if you collapse," Kanda said as he got to his feet.

Chloe quickly rolled over so her back was to the Japanese exorcist and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. Kanda stalked back over to the windowsill, and just as he sat down, he heard Chloe mutter a soft "Thanks, Kanda."

The Japanese exorcist let out a sigh and grinned slightly.

"You're welcome, Bellerose."

* * *

**(1) Cabron - It's probably my favorite Spanish curse word. (It means "bastard") It also seems to be Chloe's favorite as well, since she calls Kanda one so much...**

**Härteübung - **hardiness training (in German!)

**There you have it. Even badass Kanda has a soft side. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, let me know, and if you didn't like it at all, I'd love to hear why. I'm off! :)  
**


	13. Chapter 13: Füsilier

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone! Sorry there hasn't been an update for a while. I've been studying for exams and other crap you don't really care about, so I'll save you from hearing about it. Anyway, I wanted to get this chapter out as a Christmas gift (still 12/25 where I live), so I hope you enjoy it!

Also, thanks to everyone that reviewed! I'm glad you guys liked it.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned D. Gray-man, would I have any need for a disclaimer?

* * *

**Chapter 13: Füsilier**

In the pale dawn light, a small knot of people gathered around a dilapidated tent. There was nothing particularly special about the tent. It was old and well-used, but it got the job done. The bystanders had no interest in the worn canvas. They were peering apprehensively at the two figures inside the tent.

Rugs in nearly the same condition as the tent had been lain over the hard ground, and upon these rugs was a man. A cloth had been tied around his mangled left thigh, and thick droplets of blood dripped from the saturated fabric and to the carpets below. The man's breathing was shallow at best. His face had grown pale and drawn from the massive blood loss that had accompanied his grievous injury. It was obvious to the crowd peeking into the tent that this man would not live out the hour.

A doctor and the man's family had been notified of his injury, and the crowd was waiting patiently for the grieving family to show up for the man's last breath. The onlookers weren't disappointed. The man's wife and children arrived as the sun peeked over the horizon and lamented over the dying man. The mourning had begun.

As the man's eyelids fluttered and his breaths turned to gasps, a young teenager pushed his way through the crowd and into the tent. The dying man's family instantly went silent at the boy's entrance, and they backed away from the teenager as he knelt down beside the man.

"Hold still, please."

The soft command was followed by a pale blue glow surrounding the injury, and the crowd watched in awe as the wound instantly healed…as if by magic.

The man that had been injured leapt to his feet and let out a joyous cry. The onlookers cheered and praised the young man that had performed such a wonderful miracle. The man embraced his family, who sobbed in happiness rather than grief, and the day began with refreshing brilliance instead of bitter sorrow.

As the tent erupted with excited cries and dancing, four strangers observed the impromptu celebration from the opening of another tent a small distance away. None of the strangers looked overly pleased to be in the small desert village, but no one seemed to pay them any mind. The village had many travelers and traders pass through every day, so seeing a new face or two wasn't uncommon by any means.

However, these outlandish visitors weren't simply "passing through." They had a more sinister purpose for being there.

"Is that him?" one of the strangers, a boy from the Orient, asked over the cheers.

"There's only one way to find out," another one of the visitors, this time a girl from a distant Western country, replied while stepping out into the morning light.

The Asian boy followed after his red-haired comrade, leaving the final two strangers in the shade of the tent, and visibly scowled the closer he got to the mock carnival. The girl didn't seem to be affected by the raucous display of joy, and she easily weaved her way through the throng of people. Just as the girl reached out to touch the teenager's shoulder, the boy suddenly ducked out of reach and pushed his way through the people surrounding him. The teen emerged from the crowd believing he was home-free, but he quickly found himself staring at a deadly blade aimed unnervingly at his throat.

"Where're you going, brat?" the Asian boy asked as he glared at the teenager across his sword.

The boy didn't answer. His brown eyes had gone wide in fear, and his tan face was almost ashen. He was too frightened to do anything more than quiver in place.

"Oi, cabron, put that away before you start a fight!" the red-haired girl said with a smack on the Asian's head for good measure.

"What the hell was that for, Bellerose?!"

"Sorry about that. Kanda didn't mean to frighten you, Shiva," the girl said over her comrade's protests. "He has a terrible temper."

"What was that?!"

"Who are you people? And why do you know my name?" the Indian boy asked while taking a step back.

"We're friends of your father Agni Kasabian," the girl replied. "Now, if you could just come with us, we need to ask—,"

"That man is no father to me, and I don't have to go _anywhere_ with you people!" the boy cried as he attempted to escape once more.

He got no farther than a foot away before the Asian boy practically pounced on him, and a sharp blow to the back of the Indian boy's head silenced all opposition to the harsh treatment.

"Kanda, did you have to hit him?" the girl asked with a frown.

"He wasn't going to sit there and listen to you, so I did the next best thing," the Asian replied while picking the unconscious teenager up. "Now, he'll have to listen to us," he added as he slung the limp body over his shoulder.

The red head scowled but didn't protest her companion's decision, not that it really mattered anymore. As she fell into step beside her Oriental comrade, she vaguely wondered what India's laws said about kidnapping.

* * *

"Sorry, Komui, we haven't been able to locate the missing scientist yet."

Shiva knew that voice. Well, he didn't _know_ it, per say, but it was familiar. When he tried to remember exactly whom the feminine voice belonged to, all he could recall was red hair and splitting pain in the back of his skull.

_"It's all right, Chloe. Have you guys made contact with any of Agni's family?"_

"We found his son Shiva, but he wouldn't listen when we confronted him."

He knew one thing: he wasn't where he was supposed to be. Shiva tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt strangely heavy. On top of that, his head throbbed as if someone was hitting him over and over again with a hammer. He also couldn't remember what had happened since he had woken up that morning very well.

_"Were you able to tell him about his father at least?"_

"Not exactly…Shiva tried to run away before we could say anything…and…well…"

_"What happened, Chloe?"_

Shiva heard a soft sigh a few feet away and waited for the answer with baited breath.

"Well, Kanda was tired of Shiva escaping and took matters into his own hands."

_"What did Kanda-kun do?"_

"Let's just say, Shiva has been unconscious since early this morning, and it is mid-afternoon now."

_"Is the boy all right?"_

"He has a nice knot on the back of his head from Mugen's pommel, but he is fine otherwise. I treated him, so any brain damage that might have been sustained was healed. I can't say the same for his short-term memory, though."

It all made sense now.

"Komui, I need to go. I'll call you back in a little while."

_"Keep me posted."_

The room grew silent, and Shiva took deep, slow breaths, hoping that the girl would ignore him.

"You can quit acting now."

Shiva opened his eyes and winced as bright light flooded his vision. He tried to bring his hands up to cover his sensitive eyes, but he found that his arms had been tied behind his back while he was asleep. First, he had been injured and kidnapped, and now he was tied up. Shiva didn't know whether to be afraid or annoyed or disturbed.

"Hold still, Shiva."

A pale hand gently covered his aching eyes, and warmth spread through Shiva's skull as the pain faded away.

"I'd thank you, but I don't give thanks to criminals," Shiva hissed once the healing hand was removed.

"If you must know, it wasn't my idea to tie you up," the girl said as she walked over to the window. "My _partners_ felt that binding you would keep you from trying to escape again, unless you just want another goose egg on your head."

Shiva scowled and turned his gaze from the red-haired girl. Even if what she said made sense, he didn't want her to know that a part of him actually agreed with her logic. Instead, Shiva decided to scan his surroundings for anything familiar.

The room was simply furnished, and there was absolutely nothing in plain sight that gave any indication of the location. Shiva let out a frustrated sigh and leaned his head back against the wall.

"Bellerose, has the brat woken up yet?"

The voice came from the other side of the wall behind Shiva. It was another voice he recognized.

"Yes Kanda, Shiva is awake," the girl—Bellerose—replied without turning from the window.

As soon as the words left the red head's mouth, the door flew open, and an angry Asian boy stomped into the room with two crimson clad strangers at his heels. Shiva glared at the Oriental boy. The long-haired boy stared right back without a care as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Shiva, your father Agni Kasabian is a scientist for the Order, correct?" Bellerose asked after the door was closed and locked.

"He's a scientist, sure, but for 'the Order'? Is it a religious cult or something?"

"The Order is a religious organization under direct authority of the Vatican," one of the crimson garbed strangers stated.

"Is it an army or something?" Shiva asked.

"You could say that," Bellerose replied. "Anyway, have you had any contact with your father in the past few months, Shiva?"

The Indian boy thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"My mother got letters from somewhere in Oceania, but that's it. She wouldn't let me read them and hid them as soon as she finished reading them," he finally said.

"Did she get letters from somewhere in Oceania often?"

Shiva nodded.

"At least three times a month. They were long and written in a language I couldn't understand."

"When did the letters stop coming regularly?"

"This month. We've only gotten one so far, and it was the longest of all. Mother cried when she finished reading it too."

The red-haired girl turned her gaze from the window and focused her attention on Shiva for the first time since the conversation began.

"Do you happen to know where your mother hid the letters?"

Shiva smirked and nodded once. The red head smiled slightly at the boy, but it quickly faded into a frown as a thought seemed to cross her mind.

"By the way, how long have you been able to heal people without medicine?" Bellerose asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Since I was small. Why?"

The red-haired girl let out a sigh and slowly walked across the room.

"Your powers began to show after your father gave you that necklace, right?"

"They did," Shiva replied slowly. "How did you know?"

Bellerose knelt down in front of the boy and carefully pulled the thin silver chain out from beneath his thin shirt. Connected to the chain was a small oval of jade. The precious gemstone seemed to glow faintly as it sat in Bellerose's palm, and the red head frowned before closing her hand around the once harmless charm.

"Listen to me, Shiva. This is no trinket your father found. This lump of jade is imbued with something called Innocence," she said after a few moments. "Innocence gives its bearer inhuman powers, but it also forces them into exile."

"What do you mean?" Shiva whispered.

"The Innocence is used primarily to fight against the things that wish to destroy this world—akuma. Akumas are monsters created by a creature known as the Millennium Earl, and he is a member of the Noah Clan, which—,"

"What the hell are you talking about? Innocence…akuma…Millennium Earl…what do they all have to do with me?"

"You possess and can synchronize with a piece of Innocence, which, to put it simply, makes you a target for enemy forces. Unless you wish to endanger the lives of the other villagers and your family, you either need to come with us or give us this necklace."

Shiva didn't want to believe anything the red-haired girl was saying, but the serious gleam in Bellerose's blue-green eyes told him that she spoke the truth. He didn't understand what was going on, but whatever it was, it was obviously very serious.

"If I give you my necklace, will those monsters you spoke of still come?"

Bellerose let go of the necklace and glared at the floor.

"I wish I could say no," she said as she glanced over her shoulder at the window. "But, if you leave that necklace with me, Shiva, there is a much better chance that your village will not be attacked in the near future. That's all I can say."

Shiva knew that he should give her the necklace. His mind was telling him to do so. But, his heart was refusing to let go of the only proof of his father's love so easily.

"Your father gave you that necklace knowing that this day would come, Shiva," Bellerose stated. "He will support whichever choice you make," she added at the mixed expression on the boy's face.

"If I decided to keep the necklace, what then?" Shiva asked.

"Then you would become an exorcist and fight for the same Order your father works for in order to save the world from destruction," Bellerose replied.

Shiva knew he couldn't make such an important decision right then. He had to talk to his mother about this dilemma. She would know what to do.

"How long do I have to think about it?" he asked.

"Until tomorrow morning," the red head replied.

Shiva shivered at the grim tone her voice held. Whatever decision he made, he was going to have to make it sooner rather than later.

* * *

As the sun set over the small Indian village, Kanda found himself wandering aimlessly around the brat from that morning's house. Bellerose had insisted that they needed to follow the boy home and protect him from until he made his decision, but Kanda knew her better than that. Chloe just wanted to make sure the kid wouldn't do something stupid and try to run off again.

Something in the back of Kanda's mind told him that the red head also knew something the rest of the group didn't. She had been tense ever since they left headquarters that morning, and she hadn't even protested when Leverrier assigned the two of the 'third exorcists' to follow them on the mission. Something was up. He knew that, but he also knew that asking Bellerose about it would be fruitless. The girl was the queen of ambiguity. But, that's what he liked about her.

Kanda kicked at the rocks lying uselessly on the ground in front of him, attempting to steer his thoughts in another direction, and scowled. He didn't mind Bellerose's company. That fact he would never admit to anyone but himself. However, Kanda's body had other ideas. Instead of suppressing any emotions he may have felt for the girl as he normally did, his mind stored and recalled those feelings without fail whenever Chloe happened to be in his vicinity. It was annoying, and Kanda finally resorted to putting off his confrontation with his newly developed hormones for as long as possible.

"What did the ground ever do to you?"

The Japanese exorcist let out a sigh and continued poking the rocks with the tip of his boot. He kept his eyes focused on the ground and not on the red-haired girl standing a few feet to his left. Maybe ignoring Bellerose would make his mind shut up…

"Hey Kanda, can I ask you something?"

"Even if I said no, you'd ask anyway."

Chloe chuckled at the clever response and turned to face the setting sun. She closed her eyes and bathed in the warm rays. Silence enveloped the two exorcists, and Kanda was in no mood to break it first.

"When you said that you would kick my ass until I returned to normal, should I ever go berserk again, did you really mean it?" she finally asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Why would I lie to you?" Kanda replied.

"You're right. Sorry I asked," Chloe said with a grin.

The red-haired girl's expression slipped as she turned to head back to the brat's house, and Kanda felt his hand close around her wrist before his mind caught up with his actions.

"What's bothering you, Bellerose?" he asked after a moment.

"Nothing is bother—,"

"That's crap, and you know it, Bellerose. Tell me the truth."

Chloe scoffed and warily attempted to free her arm from Kanda's grasp.

"Where would I even begin?" she murmured with a bitter laugh. "Besides, the problem doesn't concern you, Kanda."

"Bellerose, I'm only going to say this once, so listen up," Kanda stated while releasing the girl's wrist. "You're the only person I trust to watch my back. Fighting with yourself and enemies is a losing battle," he said in a softer voice, adding, "I don't want to see a skilled fighter get killed over some stupid lapse of concentration."

"Wow. I never thought you would be the one complimenting me, Kanda," Chloe said after a moment.

"Repeat what I said to anyone and I'll kill you."

Before Chloe could say anything in response to the threat, Shiva came running up to the two exorcists shouting about dinner. The boy did a quick u-turn afterwards and ran back towards his home. Chloe and Kanda made their way back to the house, and they sat down with Shiva's large family to eat.

It wasn't until after dinner that a big problem Kanda had been pushing away became a real issue.

"Come on Kanda, don't be a baby," Chloe said as she unbuttoned her coat. "I promise I won't steal the blankets from you."

"Shut up," the Japanese exorcist hissed back.

Kanda and Chloe were sharing a room. Problem? Maybe.

Kanda and Chloe had to share the same bed in that same room. Problem? Most definitely.

"By the way," Chloe said while kicking off her boots, "Komui never hears about this, agreed?"

"Agreed," Kanda replied.

He dumped his coat on the floor next to his boots and reached for his hair tie. Tonight was going to be a very, very long night.

* * *

**I'm evil, I know. I give terrible Christmas gifts. Sorry. :) Until next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14: Schlacht

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** Hello! I was planning on getting this chapter out by New Year's Day, but life has a way of screwing with my plans. I swear, I have the worst luck sometimes. Not only did I get sick, I got sick when school started back after winter holidays and missed not one, but THREE days of school. Life is going to suck as I try to catch up on all my missed work! I'm going to warn all of you now that updates will be VERY VERY VERY slow for a while until my workload lets up, soccer season ends, and the AP exams are over. I'm apologizing in advance!

**To Reviewers:**

**Lathya:** Did it meet your expectations?

**laguna-moomba:** Sorry about the pure-evil cliffy. I had to do it. I just had to! :)

**17: **I'm glad you like it!

And now that I'm done ranting, here we go...

* * *

**Chapter 14: Schlacht**

Sometime during the night, Kanda woke with a start and instantly sat up. His first thought was that akumas had come. He glanced at the window and saw nothing, so that wasn't it. Kanda glanced over at the other side of the bed and saw that Bellerose was gone. The last time she'd disappeared like that, no one had seen her again until Komui called her to his office for a mission briefing.

Kanda heard a muffled 'thud' come from the hallway a moment later, and he silently slipped out of bed and through the open doorway. The Japanese exorcist noticed two things right away as he stepped out into the hallway. The first was that Bellerose was leaning heavily against the wall clutching her left arm. The second was that the red-haired girl was…crying?

"Bellerose?"

The girl's head snapped up at her name, and her lips curled into a bitter smile as she swiped at her wet eyes with the back of her right hand.

"Of all the people, it was _you_ that had to find me like this," she murmured while glaring at the floor.

"Bottling everything up won't help," Kanda stated.

"This advice comes from the one that refuses to _feel_ emotions. How fascinating."

Kanda refrained from rolling his eyes at the girl's sarcasm.

"What's wrong, Bellerose?" he asked.

Chloe pushed off the wall with a chuckle and staggered down the hallway. She got to the doorway of their shared room before her legs buckled, and Kanda easily reached out and caught the girl.

"Seriously, what's the matter with you?" the Japanese exorcist asked while helping the red head over to the bed.

Kanda reached over and turned on the lamp sitting on the bedside table. With a cursory glance, Kanda could see no visible injuries on the girl's body and frowned as Chloe all but collapsed onto the mattress.

"You're starting to sound like a broken record, Kanda," Chloe said as she glanced over at the (concerned) Japanese exorcist sitting beside her.

She grimaced suddenly and lurched forward clutching her left forearm. She would have pitched herself off the bed if Kanda hadn't grabbed her in time, but Chloe hardly seemed to notice. It was obvious that she was in pain from something…but what?

"How long have you been injured, Bellerose?" Kanda asked.

"It's not an injury," Chloe whispered while leaning her head back.

"Then what the hell is it?"

"A side-effect."

How vague.

"Of what?"

"Purging the akuma virus," Chloe stated with a wince.

Kanda glanced down at Chloe's left arm and felt his stomach flip. The skin from her fingertips to her elbow was black, and the once innocent looking markings on her hand had curled up and around to her shoulder. Chloe bit down on a cry when the black traveled even farther up her arm.

"The reaction isn't usually this bad," she muttered as she examined her rapidly blackening limb.

"I didn't think you were a parasitic type," Kanda said while watching the shadow continued to crawl up Chloe's arm.

"I'm not."

Chloe's body shook with the effort it took to remain upright, as well as from the pain she didn't dare voice. Kanda had no clue what to do and simply sat there with his arms wrapped securely about the red-haired girl's waist and shoulders to keep her from falling off the bed. He toyed with calling Komui for a few seconds to see if the scientist knew what was wrong with Chloe, but the Japanese exorcist quickly dismissed the thought. He had no way of explaining what was wrong with his partner, which would only waste everyone's time. Kanda knew that he had to deal with it on his own.

"How did you come in contact with the akuma virus?" he asked after a moment.

"Last mission…Charlotte had a level 3…shoot me…left shoulder…" Chloe mumbled between ragged breaths. "The wound healed…body didn't react until…tonight…"

"How can you withstand the virus?"

"Because…_they_ made me…that way…"

"Who are _they_?"

Chloe didn't reply. Her body's trembling increased as a dark expression crossed her pain-ridden face, and she bit down on her lower lip hard enough to split the thin skin.

"_They_ are the scientists…that wanted to create…the greatest anti-akuma…weapon…one that didn't…need Innocence…" she finally said while wiping away the blood dripping down her chin from her busted lip.

"So what the Noah said _was _true," Kanda murmured to himself.

The Japanese exorcist felt something wet land on his arm a few moments later, and Chloe let out a cross between a whimper and a gasp while bringing her right hand up to cover her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Kanda…_they_ made me into a demon."

Kanda didn't know what to do. He could handle physical pain. That was something anyone could heal from given time, rest, and proper care. Dealing with emotional pain was _not_ his forte, and he had never pretended that it was, especially when it came to other people.

However, something about watching Chloe Bellerose cry bothered Kanda to no end. Sure, he had seen Lenalee and lots of other girls cry before, but to the Japanese exorcist, that was what girls did when they were stressed or upset. It was easier to ignore them instead of attempting to console them. But, Bellerose was different.

Chloe wasn't annoying like the other idiots were. She knew what to say, when to say it, and how to say it in such a way that, no matter whether it was good or bad, Kanda didn't mind hearing it. Chloe also challenged Kanda in ways that had never been done before. No one had ever nearly beaten him when swords were involved, and no one had ever been fast enough to keep up with him during a fight. But for Kanda, Chloe was more than a sparring partner or an intelligent person to talk to. In the six months he had known her, Chloe Bellerose had become an irreplaceable existence in his life. She was his friend.

Kanda didn't want Chloe to be upset. He honestly knew how she felt. The Japanese exorcist had no idea whether Chloe had gone through the same experiments he had for the 'second exorcist' project, but judging from the permanent markings on Chloe's hands and her blackened arm, those experiments hadn't been pleasant either. Kanda knew what it was like to wake up every morning to painful procedures and tests that left him severely wounded and wishing he could just go to sleep and stay that way forever.

They both carried invisible scars that only they could see. It sounded like a contradiction, but it was true. The others didn't know what it was like to be dissected, broken, and mutilated on a regular basis before puberty had even hit, and the others certainly didn't understand what it was like to spend every night dreading the start of a new morning and the experiments that came with it. Kanda and Chloe knew what it was like to be in a living hell without any way out. That was what drew them together.

For those reasons, Kanda didn't get irritated when Chloe started crying or get up and leave the girl to her own devices. He had been in her position once nine years before, and he had been fortunate enough to have someone there to help cheer him up, even if he hadn't liked it at the time.

Instead, Kanda found himself wrapping his arms around Chloe and pulling her close. Chloe tensed at the sudden contact, but after a moment, she leaned into the embrace and rested her head against Kanda's shoulder. They made quite a pair. One was a cursed non-human with no social skills, while the other was an enigma with an innate ability to know when and how to disappear completely. Maybe fate had drawn them together. Maybe it was destiny. Maybe it was mere coincidence. Whatever it was, Kanda had no reason to complain. Chloe made life interesting. He wouldn't trade anything in the world for that feeling.

"You're not a demon, Bellerose," Kanda said after a few minutes.

It was a weak attempt to comfort the red-haired girl, but there was no harm in at least _trying_, or so Bellerose had said.

_ "Kanda, I don't know if I'll be any help, but there's no hurt in at least trying, right?"_

Chloe made a noise that sounded a lot like choked laughter and brought a hand up to cover her eyes.

"The blood on my hands says otherwise," she murmured.

"Welcome to war, Bellerose. No one is innocent. No one's hands are clean."

Chloe shook her head while removing the hand from her face.

"It's truly ironic. We are called 'disciples of God,' and yet our job is to slaughter instead of save," she stated. "As soon as this war ends, we will become the sacrificial lambs that will sustain the Church and its followers."

Kanda tightened his grip on Chloe and scoffed.

"You're too damn cynical. If, or even _when_, that time comes, we'll just have to do what we do best," the Japanese exorcist said.

"And that would be?"

Kanda couldn't help but smirk.

"Fight and continue to survive to spite those bastards in Central," he replied. "Leverrier would absolutely _hate_ that," Kanda added for good measure.

"Biting the hand that feeds is not highly recommended if one wants to live longer."

"And since when have you ever done anything that didn't involve the risk of severe injury or death?"

"May I remind you, Kanda, that you _also_ take those same risks?"

The Japanese exorcist scowled.

"Che. Shut up, Bellerose."

Kanda didn't have to look down to know that Chloe was smiling. She had won the fight, but she hadn't won the war. However, Kanda refrained from trying to get a rise out of his partner. Light banter would do the least damage, in a sense. Well, it was a start anyway.

"Does your arm feel any better?" Kanda asked.

The Japanese exorcist had tried to keep his tone as neutral and emotionless as possible, but he knew his concern for the red head was obvious. He wouldn't be sitting there holding her otherwise.

"Kind of. It only burns now," Chloe replied.

"And before?"

"It was like getting shot, stabbed, burned, and electrocuted all at the same time."

Kanda didn't want to know how Chloe had come to know what it was like to be shot and stabbed and burned and electrocuted simultaneously. It sounded too painful, physically or psychologically.

"Those were just some of the things _they_ did to us. In an effort to create an indestructible body, _they_ felt it was necessary to break the body first," the red-haired girl stated. "When a bone breaks, it heals even stronger and thicker than before depending on how it is cared for. _They_ based the research around that principle."

Kanda couldn't imagine what it was like to have his body broken over and over again _without_ his regeneration ability. It was one thing to have pain for a few moments after being injured before it went away completely, but to have to suffer for days, weeks, even months as each bone, each joint, each muscle, each tissue had to individually heal…it must have been torture.

"But now, after everything that's happened in the past six months, I'm glad I'm not normal. It's hypocritical of me to say that, but…" Chloe trailed off with a shake of her head.

"At least you're still alive," Kanda stated.

Chloe lifted her head from the Japanese exorcist's shoulder after a moment.

"I can't believe I've gotten not one, but _three_ pep talks from the great Kanda-_sama_! I must be lucky after all," she said with a smirk.

Kanda told himself that the red-haired girl was just being sarcastic and let go of her. He started to get up, but Chloe tackled him before he could get any farther. Before the Japanese exorcist could even think to move, Chloe had his wrists pinned at his sides and was straddling his hips to keep him from escaping. For having an injured arm, she was still quite strong.

"What the hell was that for?" Kanda asked as he struggled to free himself from the red-haired girl's grip.

"You're the one that's always on top. I wanted to change that," Chloe replied as if it were the most obvious concept in the world.

Even socially inept Kanda couldn't help but blush at that. Chloe grinned down at him, but the smile didn't reach her eyes as it normally would. She was still upset and trying to hide it behind a happy mask. The fake expression only made Kanda think that she really _wasn't_ all right after all.

"Kanda, can I ask you something?" Chloe asked.

"You just did," was all Kanda could come up with.

Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Clever. You, Kanda, are a master of words, no, a connoisseur of eloquence, a real—"

"What do you want, Bellerose?" Kanda asked before her rant could continue any longer.

"I want you to promise me that you won't die anymore."

Chloe said that with a smile on her face while glaring down at the Japanese exorcist. If her intention was to frighten Kanda into submission, it wasn't working well, but it sure was worrying him.

"Let me rephrase that. You might have the ability to be 'reborn' in the event that you die, but you also take away your life each time the curse activates. I know I was able to reverse the damage before, but I can't guarantee that I can do the same in the future without killing you in the process," Chloe stated. "Kanda, you're a ticking time bomb. I don't want you to die, and I don't want to be there on the day your curse turns on you."

Kanda knew that she was being serious. He knew she meant every word. Even so, he wasn't able to refrain from laughing. It was just _too_ good. Here he was worrying about _Bellerose_, and there she was fretting over _him_. Kanda's mirth filled the room, and he laughed even harder at the perplexed look on Chloe's face.

"You're worried…about _me_?" he asked between peals of laughter.

"I know. Stupid, right?" Chloe replied with a smile. "However, I'm not the only one," she added as the grin dropped from her face.

Kanda stopped laughing at that point. He knew exactly who Chloe was talking about, and he wished those fools would just mind their own business and leave him alone.

"Yes, those fools _should_ leave you alone, but you know they won't," Chloe stated.

She could read minds. Kanda was now positive of that. How she did it, he had no clue, but the fact that she could made it even more disturbing.

"But I'm not telling you to stay alive because of them."

Chloe chuckled as she stared straight down at Kanda.

"I'm saving you for my own benefit," she said with a grin.

"And how do _you_ 'benefit' from _me_ staying alive?" Kanda asked.

The red-haired girl honestly seemed to contemplate the reasons for a moment before a mischievous smirk blossomed on her lips. She silently released Kanda and rolled to her feet with the smirk still on her face. Kanda sat up as Chloe made her way over to her belongings, and he watched while she riled through her things. Chloe stood up after a moment and walked back over to the bed.

"Kanda, I need a favor," she said while sitting down on her side of the bed.

"And why should I help you? How do I _benefit_ from it?" the Japanese exorcist retorted with a scowl.

"Quit whining and come here. I can't wrap bandages well with just one hand."

Kanda's scowl deepened as he made his way to Chloe's left side, and he reluctantly took the roll of gauze from the red-haired girl while eying her blackened arm. The shadow had decreased somewhat in the time the two exorcists had been "talking." However, Chloe seemed to know that the amount of time it would take for her arm to get back to normal would not be quick, and the bandages would easily cover her "injury" until then. Kanda quickly wrapped the gauze around Chloe's arm, and he felt the red-haired girl's eyes on him as he finished tying the bandage off.

"What?" he asked as he caught her gaze.

Kanda knew the word had come out rather gruff, but Chloe didn't seem to mind. She smiled and ran her fingers lightly down the bandages Kanda had just finished wrapping. Her reaction was different from what Kanda had imagined it would be, and he grew even more curious to hear what Bellerose was going to say in response.

"Kanda, you're really skilled at first-aid," was the long-awaited reply from the red-haired girl.

Of all the things she could've said, she chose _that_?

It was Chloe's turn to laugh at Kanda's bewildered expression, and she continued to cackle until Kanda decided that he'd had enough. In an effort to silence the girl, Kanda had to employ the only weapon he had within reach: Bellerose's pillow. A light 'smack' on the back of the head with the fluffy object made Chloe go quiet, but the peace only lasted for a moment before the red head was laughing even harder.

"And _that's_ why I don't want you to die, Kanda," she said once she had composed herself.

"Because I hit you with a pillow?" the Japanese exorcist asked in apparent confusion.

"No, idiot! It's because it's fun to see your reactions," Chloe replied.

Kanda knew he must've had a questioning look on his face when the red-haired girl started to explain what she meant.

"You present yourself as an anti-social and violent guy with no capacity for emotions, when, in reality, you're even more sensitive to feelings than everyone else around you. That fact makes your reactions to certain situations or statements very…unique and humorous."

"You're telling me not to get killed…because I'm _funny_?"

Chloe nodded.

"Crazy, isn't it? Welcome to reality, Kanda! No one can escape it, and no one can hide from the people in it."

Kanda shook his head.

"You've been hanging out with Lavi too much."

"Are you jealous?" Chloe asked with a grin.

"Hell no. Just annoyed."

Kanda got to his feet, ignoring Bellerose's snickers, and made his way over to his side of the bed.

"I can't believe you're jealous."

"I'm. Not. Jealous."

Chloe rolled onto her side so her back was to Kanda and pulled the covers over her legs. Kanda took that as a sign that the red-haired girl didn't want to continue arguing and turned off the lamp. He laid down on his designated side and also got under the sheets, but after a few minutes of listening to the night sounds, Kanda heard a soft snort come from the other side of the bed.

"My God, Kanda _is_ jealous."

Despite trying to be discreet with her whispered musing, Kanda heard every word Chloe said.

"Shut up already," he hissed. "I'm not waking you up if you oversleep."

"Oh no! What ever will I do without Kanda-_sama_ to wake me?"

Kanda brought his pillow down on Chloe's head for a second time, and the red-haired girl chuckled as the Japanese exorcist retreated back to his side of the bed.

"Good night Kanda."

"Yeah, whatever."

Bellerose seemed to be better, Kanda noted as he began to doze off. But, she really was hanging out too much with Lavi. That was going to have to change…

* * *

**All right. Kanda was worried, thoughtful, comforting, and violent. Maybe a bit out of character, but I guess he can't _always_ be a cold bastard. He has a nice side too.**

**I see romance in the future...what scary thoughts! Well, for dear Kanda at least. I hope he'll survive...**

**Author's Note #2:**

**_I was looking back at the first few chapters of this story and decided they needed some revisions. That leaves me with a few options. I can finish the story and THEN go back and rewrite the chapters. Or, I can rewrite them NOW and postpone finishing the story until I'm done with revisions. OR, I can just say "To hell with revisions!" and just write the rest of the story in what little free time I actually have before college starts next fall._**

**_Any thoughts from the nice readers regarding this...situation would be very VERY helpful._**

**_Much thanks ~ A.F.  
_**


	15. Chapter 15: Debriefing

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** Hello! Long time, no see! I'm a terrible author. First, I leave you with a mean cliff-hanger, then I don't update for more than a month. My sincerest apologies!

To **Reanie Campal**, yeah, that's pretty much what I said about it too. I'll get around to fixing everything if I can ever finish it..._

To **Lathya**, I just wanted you to know that you've reviewed every chapter. Thank you for your continued support! :)

And to **laguna-moomba**, I made this chapter UBER long because of the lack of updates! Hope you like it!

Well, that's pretty much it. Read on and enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 15: Debriefing**

When morning came, a decision had to be made. Shiva could keep his necklace and become an exorcist, or he could give it to Bellerose and remain a normal human boy. Kanda waited outside with the two 'third exorcists' as Chloe explained everything to Shiva's family. After what felt like an eternity, Chloe emerged from the house with a sigh.

"His mother wants to talk to him alone," she stated.

Judging by the dark expression on the red-haired girl's face, the boy was interested in becoming an exorcist, and no matter how many stories of death and danger she told him, the teenager wasn't backing down. Chloe wanted to help the Order without having to turn naive children into soldiers.

"Miss Exorcist?"

Chloe turned to Shiva as he walked outside. The boy carefully touched her left arm, and Kanda could tell it was taking all of Chloe's self-control to keep from flinching at the contact. Shiva's hands glowed faintly as he held onto the red-haired girl's arm. He frowned as the glow began to fade, and he looked up at Chloe for an explanation.

"Your Innocence can't heal every wound," Chloe said while gently prying the boy's hands from her arm.

"If that's true, then you need to show it to someone. It's not going to get any better without help," Shiva stated.

The two 'third exorcists' looked to Kanda, but the Japanese exorcist maintained his blank expression. He knew the half-akumas would report back to Leverrier in a heartbeat if they knew anything had happened to Chloe. Those two must've assumed Kanda knew something since he _had _shared a room with the red-haired girl the night before, but Kanda wasn't like the people at Central. He didn't rat on his friends.

"Thanks for your concern Shiva, but I'm fine," Chloe said with a grin. "Have you made your choice?"

The boy nodded.

"Mother needs me to help work in order to pay for food and the house, and if I leave, then I can't help. So here," Shiva replied as he slipped off his necklace.

Chloe took the necklace and slipped it into her jacket pocket. She ruffled the Indian boy's hair with a smile.

"May God be with you, Shiva," she said softly.

"_Shiva, where are you?"_ a voice called from the house.

The boy smiled before running back inside, and Chloe turned to Kanda and the two third exorcists once he was gone.

"Let's go back to the gate. I need to give the Innocence to Hevlaska," she said while walking away from the house.

Kanda and the 'third exorcists' followed after the red-haired girl, and the group was only a few hundred feet from the house when they heard a loud shout. The four exorcists stopped and watched as Shiva came sprinting towards them. The boy skidded to a halt next to Chloe, and after catching his breath, he held out a thick parcel wrapped tightly with twine and thin paper. Chloe carefully untied the twine and had to juggle the numerous pieces of paper that that threatened to fall to the ground.

"These are copies of all the letters Mother got. I made them last night," the boy said with a grin. "I hope they help."

"Thank you, Shiva," Chloe said as she tied the letters back together.

"Please find my father, Miss Exorcist."

With that being said, Shiva turned his back on the group and headed back the way he had come.

"Well, it seems that my need to head back has just gotten even more pressing. There is no time to head back to the gate," Chloe said while bringing her right arm up.

"General Bellerose, Inspector Leverrier's orders—,"

The 'third exorcist' was immediately silenced with a glare so intense that it took every ounce of discipline Kanda possessed not to shiver. He had seen Chloe get angry before, but never like that.

"Inspector Leverrier is _not_ my superior, and, therefore, his orders _do not_ apply to me. I will complete my missions as I see fit, and you two will keep your _damn_ mouths shut! I am a General. I don't need weak babysitters like you. If either of you have any problems with the way I do things, feel free to tell your precious Inspector. He doesn't have the authority to do anything but make someone come with me on missions for 'observational' purposes. Any questions?"

Chloe's words were sharp and scathing, and the 'third exorcists' looked almost…hurt. The clear contempt and animosity that Chloe obviously felt towards the Order's higher ups had been taken out on the two half-akumas. And if the red-haired girl had any regrets, she was quite good at hiding them.

Chloe concentrated on her foreign ramblings as she held her arm up, and after a moment, she fell silent and spread her fingers out. The air in front of the red-haired girl shimmered as if it was alive, and Chloe slowly turned her hand ninety-degrees to the right. A small hole appeared in the space before the girl a moment later. The hole quickly grew until it was about her height, and Chloe stepped through it without a word or glance at her comrades.

As soon as the two 'third exorcists' were through the portal Chloe had created, they immediately turned to leave, but a familiar voice made them freeze in their tracks.

"Madarao, Tevak, I'm sorry I snapped at you," Chloe said as she rubbed a hand over her tired face. "I've been under a lot of stress lately, and I took it out on you two. I'm sorry."

The 'third exorcists' were shocked by the red-haired girl's sudden apology, and they didn't say anything until Chloe turned to walk away.

"General Bellerose, thank you for the apology," the shorter of the two half-akumas said with a slight bow.

The other 'third exorcist' copied his smaller female counterpart's gesture, and Chloe smiled while walking over to them.

"Friends just call me Chloe," she said while holding out a hand.

Madarao and Tevak, as Bellerose had called them, hesitated in taking her half-covered hand, but after a moment, the two 'third exorcists' each shook Chloe's hand with confused expressions on their faces. The red-haired girl merely grinned as she turned back around and walked down the hallway towards Komui's office. Kanda followed after her.

"What was that?" the Japanese exorcist asked as they neared their supervisor's office.

"What was what?" she asked.

"Don't play dumb, Bellerose. You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about."

Chloe shrugged.

"I might not like the inspector, but that doesn't mean I have to hate the 'third exorcists'. They've yet to do anything that pisses me off, and Lavi told me that I sometimes seem unapproachable. So, I tried to be approachable instead."

"Where do you and Lavi find all this time to talk?" Kanda asked as he pulled open the door to Komui's office.

"When I spend late nights in the library. Lavi takes it upon himself to come 'check on' me and make sure I'm not getting information overload," Chloe replied. "Kind of annoying, yet strangely endearing at the same time. It's nice to know someone is looking out for you, you know?"

Komui cleared his throat to get the two exorcists' attention. Chloe flushed lightly and glared at her supervisor.

"How was the mission?" Komui asked after a moment of silence.

"Agni Kasabian's son Shiva was an Accommodator, but he chose to relinquish his Innocence in order to help support his family," Chloe replied while reaching into her uniform jacket.

She produced Shiva's jade necklace from an inner pocket of her uniform and placed it on Komui's desk.

"Shiva also told us that his father stopped communicating with the family at the beginning of the month and gave me copies of all the letters his mother received," Chloe added as she held up the lumpy parcel of papers.

"Do you think the letters will reveal Agni's location?"

"I'm not sure. Shiva said that they weren't written in English or Hindi, but it was a language that his mother could read and understand."

Komui took in the information with a nod.

"Can I see the letters?"

Chloe handed the Chinese scientist the parcel and watched curiously as he read through a few of the papers.

"I think they're in French," Komui said as he glanced from paper to paper. "Johnny and Reever could have these translated by tomorrow afternoon."

"Komui, did you forget that I'm fluent in French? I could—,"

"Chloe, you just got back from a mission. I'm not going to let you do anything of the sort until you've had a proper meal and some rest," Komui stated while putting the papers aside.

"But—,"

"My decision is final, Chloe-chan. Lenalee will be here in a moment to escort you to the cafeteria while I talk to Kanda-kun."

As if on cue, Lenalee appeared at the door and waltzed over to Chloe.

"Take care of her, Lenalee-chan!" Komui called as his sister pulled the red-haired exorcist along.

"I will, Nii-san!" Lenalee replied before the door shut behind her.

Komui glanced over at Kanda and motioned for him to sit down on the couch in front of the desk. Kanda did as asked, and he waited anxiously for the inevitable round of questions to start.

"So, Kanda-kun, how was the mission?" Komui asked as he shuffled through his stacks of paperwork.

"Fine."

"Good, good. No problems with your Innocence?"

"Didn't have to use it."

"I see. That'll make your report easy to read then."

"Spit it out, Komui," Kanda stated with a frown.

The Chinese scientist let out a sigh and grabbed a thick folder sitting on the corner of his desk.

"I managed to acquire some old records pertaining to the experiments that preceded the 'second exorcist' project after our talk last week," Komui stated as he held the folder out to the Japanese exorcist.

Kanda took the folder and slowly opened it. There were multiple yellowed pages of typed notes, and Kanda glanced briefly at the pictures that accompanied the papers. One photo featured a small group of rag-tag kids surrounded by several unknown scientists. Another showed only three of the children and only four of the many researchers from the earlier photograph. Kanda frowned and closed the folder after pocketing one of the pictures.

"What kinds of experiments did they do?" he asked after placing the folder back on Komui's desk.

"From what I read, the scientists used the children as guinea pigs for just about anything. They would break the children's bones multiple times, infect them with various amounts of the akuma virus, and inflict near fatal wounds on them just to see what would happen. They also experimented with implanting Innocence in the test subjects' bodies and forcing them to synchronize. That's when most of the children died," Komui replied.

"What were the results?" Kanda asked.

"Two of the surviving children were all able to synchronize with their Innocence well above the critical point, and their bodies had adapted to the experiments so well that they could destroy akuma with their bare hands _without_ using their Innocence," Komui stated. "There isn't much documentation about the third child except that she was deemed 'special' by the scientists and wasn't put through the same experiments as the other two."

"What happened to the kids?"

"During a training session at Central command, one of the kids suddenly lost control and began to attack members of the Order instead of the targets. There were nearly sixty casualties before the child was put down by a CROW unit. The other two kids were immediately locked away, and Central decided that the experiments hadn't produced any 'useable' results.

"They ordered the last two children to be disposed of, but the CROW member that was supposed to execute the children helped them escape instead. The scientists working on the final leg of the project were immediately let go, with the exception of one man that went missing shortly after the experiments concluded."

"How long before…?" Kanda finally asked after processing the new information he had been provided with.

Komui appeared to do a few mental calculations before replying.

"The 'second exorcist' project began about a year after these initial experiments," he replied. "Now that you know, why are you so curious about this stuff all of a sudden, Kanda?"

"No reason," the Japanese exorcist replied while getting to his feet.

He could feel Komui's eyes on his back and prayed the man would stay silent.

"It's Chloe, isn't it?" the Chinese scientist asked with a smirk.

Kanda paused with his hand on the doorknob and shook his head.

"It's got nothing to do with—,"

"Kanda, it's okay to care about someone. You know that, right?"

"Shut up, Komui."

Kanda slipped into the hallway before Komui could continue, and the Japanese exorcist knew his supervisor was grinning stupidly in his wake.

"Komui no baka."

He didn't care about Bellerose. At least, not like _that_. He tolerated her because she was strong and didn't annoy him. That was it. And, he only wanted to know about the experiments because of what the Noah said. It pertained to him, so it obviously interested him. He wasn't concerned about Bellerose. Nope. Not at all.

_You're lying._

Kanda ignored his mind and continued walking.

_You're interested in this girl, but you just don't want to admit it._

"Che."

As if. Bellerose was just Bellerose to him. He had no interest in her. None.

_If you didn't like her, you would just avoid her like all the others._

Fine. Bellerose was a friend. That he wouldn't deny.

_She's more than that to you._

"Bullshit."

_You've done everything but f—_

He didn't want to listen to himself anymore. He headed for the cafeteria and hoped that Chloe wouldn't be there. After obtaining his customary soba and green tea from the Indian chef, Kanda sat down at an empty table and began to eat. He wasn't hungry, but going through the motions kept his thoughts focused on something other than Bellerose.

"Yo, Yuu-chan!"

Kanda continued to eat his soba as Lavi sat down across from him. Lavi, not one to be discouraged by harsh glares or oppressive silence, grinned at his fellow exorcist and leaned across the table so his face was practically in Kanda's. In response, Kanda shifted over on the bench in order to get away from Lavi and picked up his cup of tea.

"What do you want?" the Japanese exorcist growled out after taking a few sips of the warm beverage.

"Nothin' much. I just wanna know how things are goin' with Rouge-chan is all," Lavi replied.

Kanda glared at the Bookman apprentice.

"Aw, come on Yuu-chan! You and I both know you've got a thing for her."

"I do not—,"

"How cute, Yuu's in denial!"

Kanda got to his feet. He'd had enough.

"Aw, Yuu-chan, don't go!" Lavi called after the Japanese exorcist.

Kanda ignored the red-haired idiot and made his way through the Order at a brisk pace. Too many idiots were meddling in his life for his liking. He needed to do something, _anything_ that would keep his mind occupied. He tried meditating, but his brain proved to be more rebellious than he originally thought and forced him to try doing something else. Kanda tried training next. He forgot all about his dilemma as he pounded innocent finders into the training area floor. However, the moment the Japanese exorcist stopped fighting, the little voice in the back of his head made its presence known once again.

_You know you can't ignore this._

"Shut up," Kanda growled as he stomped down the hallway.

_Are you scared?_

Why would he be scared?

_You don't want to be rejected._

That wasn't it.

_You don't want to open up to someone and be betrayed._

Not true.

_You don't want it to turn out like nine years ago._

"Shut. Up."

_You _are_ scared. You don't want to have to hurt Chloe like you did with—_

Kanda punched the wall with enough fury to cause several deep fissures to appear in the stonework. He ignored the searing pain shooting up his arm as he pulled his fist back for another blow, and he only stopped hitting the wall when he felt the bones in his hand shatter. Kanda let out a curse in his native tongue while examining his bloody hand. He could feel a slight pull on his heart as his hand began to heal, and after a few seconds, Kanda could make a fist once again.

_Why won't you just admit that you have feelings for her?_

Because he wasn't supposed to have feelings for anyone, let alone for some girl he'd only known for half a year.

_You really believe that?_

Emotions were for humans, and he wasn't human.

_Emotions aren't just for humans, idiot. You're allowed to feel too, you know._

Why? Feelings just made everything complicated. He wanted to remain in the straightforward world of black and white, not fall into the shades of gray that were produced when logic and emotion mixed. His purpose was to fight, not to be human.

_Chloe obviously cares about you._

"Che."

Bellerose was just delusional or something. Those "feelings" would pass with time.

_You know that's not true. She wouldn't worry about you if she didn't care._

Bellerose probably cared about every living creature. What made him so special?

_Maybe she sees past your 'I'm a total bastard' exterior?_

Kanda scowled and continued walking down the corridor away from the destruction he had caused. He remembered what Bellerose had said back in India.

"_I want you to promise me that you won't die anymore…"_

_See, she does care about you._

Yeah right.

"_I don't want you to die…"_

_Would she say that if she didn't care about you in some way?_

He didn't want to admit that he agreed with his inner voice. However, he'd heard the same line from Komui and Lenalee and Tiedoll and Marie and every other idiot in the stupid Order. So why did it seem different when Bellerose said it?

Kanda shook his head. His chest felt tight, as it had been the first time he'd met Bellerose inside Komui's office. It was a foreign sensation to the Japanese exorcist and all Chloe Bellerose's fault.

_You should just tell her how you feel. You might be surprised._

His inner voice of reason must've been hanging out with Lavi too. There was no way he was going to tell Bellerose about his "feelings." She'd just laugh at him.

_She could feel the same way about you._

But what if she didn't?

_You'll never know unless you talk to her._

And he was fine with not knowing. It was strange enough that he thought of Bellerose as a friend. To associate her with a much more complex and unfamiliar emotion like _that_…he didn't want to cross the line into uncharted waters.

_So you're afraid after all._

Fine. He was _slightly_ afraid, but not of rejection or betrayal.

_You don't want to give someone your heart and have them disappear._

They were in a war, after all. No mission was ever completely safe. They could die at any time, at any place, for any reason.

_Then you have to protect her so she will always come back to you._

That was easier said then done. It was only a matter of time before they got assigned to separate missions, and Kanda would be powerless to help Bellerose if she was no where near him.

_You know how strong Chloe is. Even if you're not there, she can take care of herself._

He knew that. It was her selflessness that worried him.

_Have a little faith, Kanda._

Have faith in what? Bellerose would do as she pleased whether it killed her or not. That was just how she was.

_You wouldn't like her if she was any other way, would you?_

No. If Bellerose wasn't Bellerose, he wouldn't like her at all. She wasn't like any girl Kanda had ever met. She laughed in the face of danger, sacrificed herself for strangers, and healed even the most lost causes. She could get inside his head without even trying, and she had enough secrets to last a lifetime. She was someone Kanda couldn't figure out with one glance. That was why they were friends. Friends, not…

Kanda mumbled another curse and stopped walking. He didn't want to think anymore. Not about his emotions, and definitely _not_ about Bellerose. But fate, as Kanda was quickly finding out, could be very wicked.

"Well, I've never seen you around here. What brings the great Kanda-_sama_ to this part of the Order at this hour?"

Kanda slowly turned around to face Chloe. Her long hair was free from its customary ponytail, and the mass of red locks was draped over her left shoulder. A fluffy white towel protected the sleeveless navy shirt Bellerose had on from the water dripping from her hair. She had traded her exorcist uniform for black pants and a light blue button down shirt that fit her almost too perfectly. The Japanese exorcist didn't realize he was staring until Bellerose sent him a funny look.

"I can go where I want to," Kanda replied after tearing his eyes away from the girl.

"Even to the female section of rooms?" Chloe asked.

"Che," was Kanda's brilliant response.

Chloe rolled her eyes and rubbed her hair with the towel she carried. Silence fell over the two exorcists, and Chloe was about to walk away when she seemed to notice something. Kanda followed the girl's gaze and immediately tried to shove his bloody hand into his pants pocket. Chloe caught the Japanese exorcist's wrist before he could conceal his wound and frowned at the blood covering his skin.

"Kanda, what did you do to your hand?" she asked.

"It's noth—,"

"Nothing my ass. You wouldn't be bleeding if it was nothing."

Chloe grabbed Kanda's bloody hand and pulled him down the hallway. It took Kanda a moment to realize where she was leading him, and he tried to free his hand without any success. Chloe poked her head into the female communal bathroom, and after determining the area to be empty, the red-haired girl pulled the Japanese boy inside and over to the long line of sinks anchored into the far wall.

"What did you do anyway?" she asked while turning on the water.

"I already told you it's—,"

Chloe shoved Kanda's injured hand underneath the stream of water and smirked when the Japanese exorcist yelped at the frigid temperature.

"Tell me," she ordered.

"I punched the wall, all right!"

The freezing cold water suddenly grew warmer, and Chloe smiled as she gently cleaned the blood from Kanda's skin. Once the blood was gone, Chloe turned off the water and dried Kanda's hand with the towel she had been using to dry her hair with minutes before. Kanda felt his cheeks growing warm at Chloe's gentle touch, and his chest tightened when the red-haired girl unconsciously drew closer to him while she examined his hand.

"You certainly bled a lot for one lousy punch," Chloe murmured while tracing the rapidly fading cuts on his skin. "What pissed you off so much you felt the need to bully the wall?"

Kanda almost blurted out that _she_ was the reason he'd punched the wall. He caught himself at the last second and shrugged while pulling his hand from her grasp. Her skin had been exceptionally warm, and his chest tightened at the memory of her touch. Kanda stubbornly turned his gaze to the floor to keep his earlier thoughts at bay.

"I was just…thinking," he finally replied once he had regained his composure.

"About what?" Chloe asked.

"Nothing," Kanda stated while heading for the door.

The Japanese exorcist stepped out into the hallway a few seconds later, and he continued walking until a familiar voice brought him to a complete stop.

"You can talk to me, Kanda…I hope you know that," Chloe said from the bathroom doorway.

Kanda scoffed and glanced at the red head over his shoulder. There she was, leaning against the wall in a manner that drove the Japanese exorcist's hormones insane. He was larger than she was, both in height and weight. If he had really wanted to…She obviously didn't realize what she was doing to him…or…did she?

"Che. Why would I want to do that?" Kanda asked.

"Because you've helped to me, so it's my turn to do the same for you," she replied with a small smile. "I don't enjoy being in debt, especially not to you."

The Japanese exorcist smirked and turned to fully face the red-haired girl. He walked towards her, and he stopped with barely half a foot to spare between them. Kanda stood a good inch taller than Chloe, and he used his slight height advantage to glare down at the red-haired girl.

"And just _how_ do you expect to repay me for all my 'help'?" the Japanese exorcist asked.

They were close…so close that Kanda could feel her warm breath tickling his cheek. It was like a repeat of that morning. The Japanese exorcist swallowed dryly.

"Do you have something particular in mind, Kanda-_sama_?"

God, she was tempting him…Kanda took a deep breath and kept his hands firmly at his sides.

"Depends on what you're willing to do, Bellerose," he managed to utter without trouble.

Talking was the easy part. Keeping himself from doing anything stupid was another. The light flush dusting her cheeks, the playful gleam in her eyes, and the warmth from her skin were not helping Kanda's self-control in the least. There wasn't enough space between them anymore…and strangely, he didn't seem to mind. He just wanted to—

"I don't think I follow," Chloe murmured. "You make it sound like I'm supposed to just let you take advantage of my kindness."

"Debtors can't be choosers," Kanda retorted.

Sure, that wasn't how the saying went, but it sounded right at that moment. Chloe obviously agreed when she smiled a second later.

"You're hilarious, Kanda. So hilarious I could just…" Chloe trailed off in mid-thought.

Kanda's brain flat-lined a few seconds later, and all sense of reason and discipline were banished to the farthest corners of his mind by a new set of instincts the Japanese exorcist had never had the pleasure of trying to control before. All coherent thought quickly followed after his ability to reason and his self-control, leaving behind a multitude of emotions too pure and raw to be explained with anything but action.

* * *

So, not only am I a terribly evil author in leaving you hanging, I'm also a sucky romance writer (okay, if not sucky, just inexperienced). If you didn't vomit or off yourself from the atrocious writing and attempts at romance, please let me know what you think I did wrong, what you think I did right, how I can fix it, the whole shabang. Reviews or private messages are greatly appreciated and really build up the author's self-esteem! Night, and happy (semi-late) Valentine's Day! :)


	16. Chapter 16: Bombardment

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:** Hello again! I've been M.I.A. for a while, I know. Nevertheless, all excuses aside, I managed to FINALLY finish! Go me!

To **Lathya**: I'm such a terrible author/updater. Go on. Let me have it! I've kept you hanging for so long...lo siento, my friend! Lo siento!

To **laguna-moomba**: Thank you for your kind words! I worry too much, apparently. I'm funny as anything, though. "Debtors can't be choosers..." I have no idea where that one came from...And yes. The girls' bathroom. Best spot EVER! But, again, don't know where that one came from either...I guess that's what I get for writing in the wee hours of the morning...

To **Reanie Campal**: I've never written anything quite like...this before, so thanks for the encouragement! Plus, I didn't want their relationship to develop like every other romance story out there...no more cliche!

So here you go...

* * *

**Chapter 16: Bombardment  
**

He didn't know how much time had passed since the heavy steel doors slammed closed behind Leverrier and what appeared to be a squadron of crimson-clad CROWs from Central, but it had been long enough to cause Allen, Lenalee, and Lavi to begin whispering loudly among themselves, much to the older exorcist's chagrin. The Japanese exorcist shifted slightly on the windowsill, ignoring his three other comrades leaning against the wall a few yards away. Howard Link stood silently nearby like the good little Junior Inspector he was.

"What do you think Central wants?" Lenalee asked while glancing at the conference chamber.

"No clue," Lavi replied. "Komui just said that we're here to observe the meeting between the senior generals and branch heads with Central Command at the American Branch."

"How can we 'observe' if we aren't even allowed in the room?" Allen asked with a scowl.

"Think about it, baka moyashi," Kanda interjected before Lavi could answer, "you're the Fourteenth Noah. Why would they let you in a room full of important members of the Order?"

Allen glared at Kanda for a moment before turning back to Lavi and Lenalee.

"I have a bad feeling. Something doesn't feel right," the white-crowned exorcist murmured.

"Don't worry, Allen-kun. I'm sure everything is fine," Lenalee said with a reassuring smile.

Allen returned the gesture, but Kanda could tell that the boy was still somewhat skepticdal despite Lenalee's infectious optimism. The Japanese exorcist was on edge as much as Allen was. They all were. The Earl was going to make his first move in months, and the exorcists could do nothing but wait as the shadow continued to creep ever closer towards them.

"So Lenalee, were you able to talk to Rouge-chan some more last night? You know…about _that_?" Lavi asked after a long silence.

"I was planning on talking to her after dinner, but she said she wouldn't talk until she got cleaned up," Lenalee replied. "I waited for her for a while in the cafeteria, but she never showed up, so I left."

Kanda felt his cheeks grow warm and turned to glare at the window before the other three exorcists could notice.

"Where do you think she went? It's not like Chloe to just disappear without saying anything to anyone," Allen asked.

"I don't know. It must have been a spur of the moment thing," Lavi stated.

Kanda knew exactly where Chloe had been and what had kept her from meeting back up with Lenalee. He pressed his cheek up against the cool glass pane and prayed it would erase the blush staining his pale skin.

"Ne, Yuu-chan, did you see Rouge-chan yesterday after your mission debriefing?" Lavi asked.

The Japanese exorcist didn't have to look to know that the red-haired boy was grinning widely. He could hear it in the Bookman apprentice's voice. Lavi wanted Kanda to react, but the Japanese exorcist wasn't going to fall for the bait.

"Che. Why would I be anywhere _near_ Bellerose?" Kanda asked with a frown.

"Because friends hang out together, Yuu-chan, that's why!"

"Lavi's right, Kanda," Lenalee said. "You and Chloe-chan are friends, so it's only natural that she'd come to see you."

"Bellerose and I _aren't_ friends," Kanda grumbled in his best annoyed tone.

"Guess it'll remain a mystery then," Lavi said with a dramatic sigh.

"Miranda-san said that she has a room near Chloe's. Do you think she would know?" Allen asked.

Kanda's eyes widened slightly upon hearing that information, and he made a mental note to find the German woman and interrogate her the moment they returned to Headquarters.

"I dunno. No harm in askin'," Lavi replied.

The conversation ended as the heavy doors slowly swung open, and the four exorcists waited anxiously for any familiar face among the crowd pouring out of the conference chamber. The first to appear was Komui, followed closely by General Tiedoll and General Cloud Nine flanking the supervisor with General Sokaro bringing up the rear.

"How did it go, Nii-san?" Lenalee asked.

"All is well, Lenalee-chan," Komui replied. "Are you guys ready to go home?"

Allen, Lavi, and Lenalee nodded, and Kanda leapt off the windowsill. As the group neared the Ark room, Allen winced and brought a hand up to cover his left eye. The party drew to a halt as all attention turned to the Brit.

"What's wrong, Allen-kun?" Lenalee asked while placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"My left eye hurt for a second," the white-crowned exorcist replied as his hand dropped back to his side.

The boy's cursed eye wasn't fully activated, but the white of his eye had turned black. Sanguine liquid dripped from Allen's eye in a morbid semblance to tears.

"Allen-kun, you're bleeding!" Lenalee exclaimed while reaching into her jacket for a handkerchief.

"Can you sense any akuma?" Komui asked as Lenalee wiped up the blood dripping down Allen's cheek.

"I thought I did," Allen replied. "I felt something for a moment, but then it was gone."

"We should hurry," Cloud Nine stated with her usual frown.

As soon as the words left the general's mouth, a shrill alarm bell began ringing. It was the signal for an outside attack. Without a word, the exorcists all but sprinted down the hallway towards the Ark gate room. The group made it only as far as the steps leading up to the Ark before a commanding voice bid them all to halt.

"What's going on Inspector?" Komui demanded as Leverrier walked towards the group.

"There has been a security breach. No one is allowed to leave the building until I say so!" the man hissed.

"What kind of 'security breach' do you mean?" Komui asked.

Leverrier scowled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"During the meeting, your branch was attacked by a squadron of akuma," the inspector stated after a moment. "Link has been attempting to communicate with your secretary, but the connection was lost about ten minutes ago."

"What are we standing here for? We have to protect our home!" Allen exclaimed while turning towards the Ark gate.

Leverrier grabbed the back of the white-haired boy's uniform and hauled him away from the stairs.

"I said that _no one_ is leaving! Not even you, Allen Walker!"

The man tossed Allen towards his fellow exorcists. Lavi managed to catch the boy before he hit the ground and glared at the inspector.

"Why the hell not?" the Bookman apprentice asked. "We have the right to protect our home and the people livin' in it!"

"All of you are precious exorcists that we cannot afford to sacrifice, Bookman Junior," Leverrier replied.

"Let us go! Chloe-chan and everyone else are there fighting for their lives! We can't just sit here and not help our friends!" Lenalee cried in despair.

"They joined the Order knowing that their lives could end at any moment. Besides, who will protect this branch should the lot of you leave? How many more lives will you be risking then?" Leverrier shot back.

Before any other retorts or challenges could be issued, Link came skidding into the room.

"Inspector, we have managed to make contact again!" the junior inspector exclaimed whilst catching his breath.

"Good work, Link," Leverrier said while heading for the exit.

Komui waited until the two inspectors were out of earshot to turn to the group of fuming exorcists standing behind him.

"All of you received wireless transmitters last week, correct?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?" Lavi replied.

"I will follow after the inspectors and listen in on communications between the branches. I will give you orders as soon as I know the full details of the situation. Lenalee knows the frequency," Komui stated while turning towards the door.

"Be careful, Nii-san!" Lenalee called as her older brother disappeared into the hallway.

Silence fell heavily over the group of exorcists. Waiting was the last thing they wanted to do knowing that their home was being attacked. However, with no other options, the exorcists stayed put. Komui would call them when the time was right.

* * *

As Komui made his way into the inspector's "command center" as they called it, he could hear a familiar voice echoing through the room over a static-filled transmission.

"_The akuma haven't broken through the barriers yet—shit! Get away from there, idiot!"_

For a few seconds, the only thing anyone could hear were gunshots, explosions, cries of agony, and curses. When the harsh sounds died down, Leverrier spoke into a microphone.

"General Bellerose, have the akuma gotten inside the building?"

"_What do you think, Leverrier? We need back up! We're outnumbered one hundred to one!"_

"I can't do that, General Bellerose. You will have to deal with the situation as—,"

"_This is not some simple 'situation,' Leverrier! There are scientists and civilians that could be killed, not to mention Hevlaska! Lose her and you lose every piece of Innocence we have fought and bled and died for!"_

"That's precisely why _you_, Miss Bellerose, are hereby ordered to protect Hevlaska with your life. She is irreplaceable. Leave the scientists and everyone else to their own devices."

The connection went silent except for harsh breathing and static for a moment. A long string of curses in French and Spanish suddenly spewed from the speakers as another series of explosions sounded nearby.

"_What are your orders, Komui?"_

All eyes widened and immediately searched the room for the Chinese scientist. Komui stepped out of the shadows with a smirk.

"Protect _everyone_, Chloe. Hevlaska, the finders, the scientists, the exorcists, Jerry, Matron…everyone," Komui replied.

"_Understood. Can I expect back up anytime soon?"_

"Consider it done," Komui said while reaching into his jacket.

He pressed a small button on a concealed transmitter in his inner breast pocket, and a smile graced his lips as Leverrier and Link raced past him towards the Ark room.

"_I owe you one, Komui."_

"We're even now for the time you saved Kanda, so you don't owe me anything," Komui stated.

"_If you say so."_

"Lenalee and the others should be arriving soon, so don't you die, Chloe. Do you understand me?" Komui asked.

"_Aye, aye, el Capitan. I'll do my be—sapristi!"_ **(1)**

"What's wrong?"

"_What's the combination to open the weapon's vault?"_

"Why do you need that?"

"_Now's not the time to ask questions, Komui! What's the damn combination?"_

"Watch your language, Chloe!" Komui chided. "You're in the presence of God!"

"_Komui!"_

"10-13-21."

"_Took you long enough."_

Komui heard a loud _click_ and another string of curses.

"You've been hanging out with Kanda again, haven't you?" Komui asked.

"_As much as I'd _love_ to talk about my personal life right now, I've got akuma to kill and people to protect. Can we talk about this some other time?"_

Komui chuckled.

"Got get 'em, Chloe-chan. _Buena suerte_." **(2)**

"_Adios, Komui."_

The line filled with harsh static a moment later, and Komui silently prayed for a safe return…for _everyone_.

* * *

The group of exorcists split up just before they entered the Headquarters gate. Lenalee and Cloud Nine headed East from the gate, Lavi and Sokaro went West, Allen and Tiedoll went South (after much negotiation), and Kanda headed North.

Kanda only encountered level 1s for a while, but the closer he got to the center of the building, the stronger level the akumas became. The Japanese exorcist realized grudgingly that he wouldn't be able to go any further forward without assistance. However, he quickly found that turning back was not an option either, not with a band of level 3s at his heels. Kanda cursed silently. He was being backed into a corner.

"Kanda!"

The Japanese exorcist didn't spare the familiar face a glance as he slashed through another level 3. Before he could attack another akuma, the killing machines were caught up in a tangle of wires. A familiar hymn filled the air a second later, and the akumas screamed and writhed in the wiry prison until they exploded.

"What're you doing here, Marie?" Kanda growled out while wiping the blood from his Innocence weapon.

"Saving you, apparently," Marie replied with a smile.

Kanda glared at the blind man but didn't comment.

"What's the situation?" the Japanese exorcist asked after a moment of silence.

"I'll explain when we get to the cafeteria," Marie replied while turning his back to Kanda.

Kanda followed after Marie with a scowl. Neither exorcist said anything until the large room was reached, and the Japanese exorcist was almost shocked to see only a few of the tables covered in bloody bodies. Matron and the other medical staff moved from table to table with Miranda and Bookman nearby tending to any wounded person brought into the room. Most of the Science Department and the finders were crowded onto one side of the room among various other Order members, and strangely, most of them seemed relatively unharmed.

"Miranda is keeping the most grievously wounded within her Innocence's barrier so the doctors have a chance to save them, and Bookman is doing everything he can for the ones the doctors must overlook. Chaoji and Krory have been periodically delivering injured people here for the past couple of hours," Marie stated. "Chloe sent Timothy to the Asia branch when the attack began, and she assigned Krory, Chaoji, and me to protect the cafeteria at all costs."

"I'll stay until the vampire or the idiot shows up. They're probably on their last legs anyway," Kanda stated with a frown.

Marie smiled and made his way over to Matron and the other medical staff to see if they needed help. The older exorcist knew what Kanda _really_ wanted to do and was glad the boy had enough impulse control to refrain from leaping blindly back into the fray. Maybe the boy was growing up after all...

* * *

Lavi knew that General Sokaro was slightly insane, but not _that_ insane. The man was destroying the building as much as he was destroying the akumas. It didn't take long for the red-haired boy to get separated from the general. Lavi cursed his bad luck as he dodged the akuma bullets flying towards him. The level 1s and 2s weren't difficult to take out. It was the higher leveled akumas that were becoming a real pain for the Bookman apprentice at that moment.

Lavi cried out when an unexpected blow to the back knocked him off his feet and into a wall hard enough to knock the breath from his lungs. His vision went in and out of focus as he forced himself to take in oxygen, and he realized with great horror that his hammer had been knocked from his grasp when he hit the wall. The red head cursed when he saw the level 3 towering over him with a blade-like arm poised to impale him. He closed his eye as the akuma lunged and hoped dying wouldn't hurt badly.

"Allez vous-en, sapristi!" **(3)**

Lavi gasped when the blow meant to end him was parried, and he cried out in surprise when he was shoved completely to the ground. He lifted up his head in time to see a sword being shoved into the level 3's chest. With an agonized cry, the akuma exploded, leaving Lavi to the mercy of his mysterious savior. A dirt-streaked hand was shoved in his face a second later.

"Rouge-chan!" the Bookman apprentice exclaimed as he took the red-haired girl's hand.

"As touching as this reunion is, I suggest you activate your Innocence before the next wave of akuma shows up," Chloe stated while sheathing the blade she held.

Lavi nodded and reached for his trusty hammer. Chloe began to jog down the crumbling corridor, and Lavi followed closely at her heels after activating his weapon. The red-haired boy noticed that his fellow red head was covered head to toe in dirt, sweat, and various sharp-looking weaponry. She didn't seem injured, but with Chloe, one could never tell until she passed out or was in Matron's capable hands.

"Where're we goin', Rouge-chan?" the Bookman apprentice asked as they weaved through several unfamiliar passages.

"Hevlaska's chamber. I need to strengthen the barrier again," Chloe replied.

"You can make barriers?"

"It's one of my _many_ special talents."

Lavi chuckled at Chloe's attempt at humor.

"How many came with you through the Ark?" Chloe asked as they neared Hevlaska's chamber.

"I was with General Sokaro, but he went off on his own a little while ago. General Tiedoll is with Allen, General Cloud Nine went with Lenalee, and Kanda went off alone," Lavi replied.

Chloe nodded while drawing to a halt. Lavi stopped as well and watched as his fellow red head lifted her right arm up in front of her. A glowing orb of light emerged from Chloe's upturned palm a few seconds later, and the air shimmered briefly a few inches from her fingertips as if it were an invisible wall. The ethereal sphere of light slowly rose up and collided with the nearly imperceptible wall, filling the dim corridor with blinding radiance. Chloe made a satisfied grunt as the light faded. Lavi blinked the dark spots from his eye and attempted to catch up to the red-haired girl as she strode quickly down the crumbling hallway past him.

"Where're we goin' now?" he asked as Chloe took a turn down a corridor he didn't recognize.

"To the cafeteria. I want to be sure Matron and the others are safe."

The girl stopped suddenly once again and turned to face the wall on her left. She pressed one of the cement blocks that made up the wall, and Lavi's eye widened when he heard a soft _click_ followed by the sounds of multiple gears turning.

"What is _that_?" the Bookman apprentice asked when the blocks of cement began to move around to create a hole in the wall.

"Shortcut," Chloe replied while taking a step through the new entryway and into a narrow passageway.

"How did you find this 'shortcut"?" Lavi inquired as he followed after his fellow red head.

He jumped when he heard the blocks beginning to return to their original positions and heard Chloe chuckle softly from a few feet in front of him.

"I couldn't sleep," she said after a few moments of walking through the darkness surrounding them.

"So…you went lookin' for secret passages to pass the time?"

"You could say that."

After a long silence had fallen between them, Lavi opened his mouth only to collide with something in front of him in the sightless abyss. He stumbled back a few steps with a wince.

"What're we stoppin' for, Rouge-chan?" Lavi asked while rubbing his aching forehead.

"There's something up ahead," Chloe replied.

"Then what're we standin' here for? Shouldn't we go an' investigate?"

Chloe remained silent. Lavi would've repeated his question, but he shut his mouth upon hearing steel scraping against iron.

"Lavi, I know you can't see, but can you go back the way we just came?"

"Sure, but why do—?"

"Please, Lavi. Just trust me and go back. Allen and General Tiedoll are nearby. Go with them to the cafeteria to regroup with Kanda and the others."

"But what about—?"

"Lavi, just do as I ask. Please."

The Bookman apprentice could hear Chloe's seemingly commanding tone trembling with every word she spoke. He didn't want to comply, but he knew Chloe wouldn't be telling him to leave without good reason. Lavi slowly turned around and placed his hand on the wall. He took a few tentative steps forward before coming to a halt.

"Once we finish with the akuma, we're coming to get you, you hear me, Chloe?" Lavi said.

"Loud and clear, Lavi. Now, go. Quickly!"

Lavi walked away as quickly as he could. He realized after a moment that he didn't know how to open the entrance to the passageway and contemplated turning around again. However, light suddenly cut through the darkness in front of him. Lavi chuckled as he neared the newly formed exit. Chloe never ceased to amaze him.

Lavi had just emerged from the secret passage when he heard the sound of steel clashing against steel followed by a strong gust of wind that sent him flying through the air. The moment the Bookman apprentice scrambled to his feet once more, the hole in the wall was sealed up. Lavi cursed and sprinted down the hallway. He needed to find help, and fast.

* * *

**Translations:**

**(1)** _Sapristi_ = "Damn it" in French.

**(2)** _Buena suerte_ = one of my personal favorites, which means "Good luck" in Spanish.

**(3)** _Allez vous-en_ = "Get out" in French.

(1) & (3) were provided by _The Awakening_ by Kate Chopin. It was the last novel we read in my AP English class this year, and I sort of..._borrowed _a line from the text. Yes we, the book was very enlightening and taught me many useful French phrases I bet French teachers wouldn't tell you! Ha!

_**Anyway, this is the first chapter I've posted since...March? Sounds correct. Sorry about that. I was the dork (a.k.a. IDIOT) that decided to sign up for 4 AP classes this year. Yeah, that came back to bite me these past three months. However, I'm done with school and have no exams to worry about anymore! (Now if I could hurry up and graduate, that would be great...)**_

_**I apologize for the fact that it took FOREVER to update. Don't be too angry...please? And yes, you're probably pissed because I didn't pick up where the last chapter left off. I'm working on it, I swear!  
**_

_**Until next chapter! :)**_

_**(Reviews make the author feel good, whether you hated it or loved it!)  
**_


	17. Chapter 17: Sortie

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note:**** Greetings and salutations! I've FINALLY updated! *Insert "Happy Dance" here* I'm excited for this moment because it's been over a year since Chapter 16 was posted! Writer's block is a terrible thing! Terrible, I tell you, terrible! It also didn't help that I had school work and extracurricular stuff…being a freshman in college does not mean you get more downtime (as I naively assumed). Anyway, I tried to make the chapter as long as I could as penance for my long, long absence, so enjoy!**

**WAIT!**

**Because I'm such a mean author and answered a couple of the reviews I saw when I finally got to log in again, I'm going to answer all of the reviews from Chapter 16 **_**again**_** (so some people might get two responses from me)!**

**Lathya: Only noises, huh? Will I squeal out of you this update? ;)**

**"": Thanks for saying my story is awesome! It's been many more than a few months, but I'm back! (FFnet wouldn't let me type your sn without the quotations for some reason...)  
**

**TwilightNinja00: Thanks! Like I said, sorry it took so long to update. School can be no fun, especially when it consumes all my writing time!**

**Melty-chan 93: I finally posted! And, I still haven't taken any French classes! (Thanks for your compliment, though! It made my day!)**

**Alice Serenity NightingGale: HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER...finally!**

**eliade-dark: Well, I'm glad someone isn't equating my OC as a Mary Sue. I guess that means I'm doing a good job, huh? And about the Spanish thing, you're right, and some day I'll get around to fixing it. Thanks so much for your input! And yes, writing/speaking in random Spanish sentences is a lot of fun, especially when you want to confuse people!**

_**NOW, HERE WE GO!**_

* * *

**Chapter 17: Sortie  
**

Komui knew pacing around the command center was futile. Doing so wouldn't change the situation. He wanted so desperately to be sitting in front of a console, but Central's scientists were already working away at every single one. All the Chinese scientist could do was watch and listen from the sideline.

"Supervisor Lee, come look at this!" one of the Central scientists suddenly called.

Komui rushed to the man's side and glanced down at the numbers popping up on the glowing console.

"What do the numbers mean?" Komui asked.

"Those are rough measurements of Dark matter output by every level of akuma the Order has encountered thus far. We have used those measurements to estimate the positions of the akuma within your building," the man replied with a wave at the different colored dots spread across the console. "However," he continued while pointing at a blinking red dot on the screen, "I wanted to show you this. The Dark matter output is over the previously recorded amount for any akuma, and other readings have indicating that this is no low level akuma, it's a—,"

"—Level 4," Komui finished for the scientist.

"And not just _one_. There seems to be at least seven, maybe even ten in that one area."

Komui glanced over at Leverrier standing only a few feet away. He knew the inspector had heard every word of the conversation.

"Continue monitoring the situation," Leverrier finally said before turning to speak to another scientist.

"Inspector, we need to send them back-up before the Level 4s can do any harm to Hevlaska or anyone else," Komui said while approaching the man.

"I didn't ask for your opinion on the matter, Supervisor."

"With all due respect, Inspector, the exorcists can't last much longer. They're only human!"

Leverrier rounded on Komui with a dark glare.

"Those fools defied my orders and _chose_ to go there. I don't have to send—,"

"Inspector, the Ark has just been used!" another scientist exclaimed, interrupting the impending argument.

"Patch me through to the Ark room!" Leverrier shouted.

"_Inspector, is something wrong?"_

"Who just went through the gate?"

"_Two of the Third exorcists, Sir. They said they were under your orders to go to the battle zone."_

"I gave no such order! Why didn't you confirm this with me?"

"_You told us the Thirds could access the gate at any time so long as you ordered it. We didn't think to ask, since they only move at your command."_

"You _fool_!"

Komui couldn't help but smirk when the Inspector started screaming at everyone in earshot.

"General Tiedoll, did you get that?" the Chinese man said softly.

"_**I'll let Cloud and Sokaro know to be on the lookout for them. Meanwhile, we'll be ready for the Level 4s should they come our way."**_

Komui tried to hide the relief from his expression as the inspector stomped past him with Link at his heels.

* * *

Kanda didn't hold back his frustrated yell as he cut down another akuma. Lenalee sent him a worried look that he chose to ignore in favor of charging at a nearby Level 2. Unfortunately for the Japanese exorcist, Lenalee caught up with him a few minutes later after destroying the final akuma in the hallway.

"Kanda, are you all right?" she asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he replied with a frown.

"I was just worri—,"

Lenalee let out an alarmed cry as the ground began to shake violently, and she tumbled into Kanda when the vibrations intensified. The opposite wall exploded before the exorcists' eyes, sending large sections of stone and a large quantity of dust slamming into the wall only a few feet from them. Once the dust and the ground settled, Kanda and Lenalee cautiously approached the debris.

"Kanda, Lenalee, get back!" Chloe shouted as she emerged from the newly made hole in the wall.

The rubble shifted and a section of the destroyed wall abruptly shot toward the red-haired General. Chloe leapt over the large stony mass and reached over her right shoulder as a white and a black blur burst from the debris. There was a mighty _clang_, and the resounding shockwave of sheer power sent Kanda and Lenalee to their knees when Chloe and her opponents clashed in mid-air.

"More! _More_!"

"I wanna see _**more**_!"

"¡Cállate y morir, pendejos!" **(1)  
**

Kanda got to his feet in time to watch Chloe knock her attackers back through the hole in the wall they had both come through. Chloe glanced over at Kanda and Lenalee while lowering the glowing sword in her right hand.

"Lenalee, is your transmitter still working?" she asked while sliding her weapon into the sheath resting across her back.

"It should be, but what happened to yours?" Lenalee asked.

Chloe tucked her hair behind her left ear. The small black transmitter cap was covered with some kind of white film, and the shell of Chloe's ear was covered in blood and burns.

"Tell Tiedoll there're only a couple left and I've got the situation handled, so stay behind the barrier until we tell them we're through here," the red head stated while reaching into her pants pocket.

Lenalee took a few steps away to relay the message. Chloe reached behind her back with her other hand and produced a large silver pistol from her waistband. Kanda stared at the weapon's intricate markings and tried to remember just where he had seen them before.

"Bellerose, is that what I think it is?" Kanda said as the red-haired girl pulled her other hand out of her pocket.

"If by that you mean a gun, then yes," Chloe replied while gently pushing the cylinder to the left side of the gun. "They teach you lots of fun things when they want to turn you into a super soldier," she continued as she loaded something into each section of the cylinder. "Isn't that right, Madarao, Tevak?" she said while pushing the cylinder back into place.

The two Third exorcists stepped out of the shadows and approached Chloe and Kanda.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't glad to see you two," Chloe said to the half-akumas. "How much trouble are you getting in for this?"

"Nothing we can't handle," Madarao said.

Chloe shook her head and mumbled something under her breath along the lines of _"My insolence seems to be contagious."_

"Do you know what we're dealing with?" Tevak asked.

"Well, there were ten Level 4s. Now, there are only two," Chloe replied as she shoved the now loaded gun against her back in the waistband of her pants. "Follow me. The trap won't hold much longer."

* * *

"_Komui, I'm happy to inform you that Lenalee-chan is all right."_

"Thank you, General Tiedoll. How is everyone else doing?" Komui asked as he leaned back against the wall.

"_As well as we can, given the situation. Chloe-chan's barriers are continuing to hold, and we are sending teams of three just outside the barrier to deal with the remaining akuma that come too close to cafeteria. That way some can rest, at least."_

"That's good. Where is Lenalee now?"

"_She's with Yuu-kun and Chloe-chan."_

"They aren't in the cafeteria with you?"

"_No, they aren't. Lenalee-chan and Yuu-kun were the last two I sent out to search for any more survivors since they were uninjured. They seem to have run into Chloe-chan along the way, as well as the two wayward Third exorcists, according to Lenalee-chan."_

"One moment, General," Komui said while pushing off the wall.

He headed straight for the scientist that had pointed the highly evolved akuma out on his radar-of-sorts.

"Can you tell where the exorcists are in the building?" Komui asked.

The man pushed something on the keyboard and several green dots appeared on the console.

"Most of the exorcists are clustered in the cafeteria," the man said. "There are five located here, near Hevlaska's chamber."

"Where were the Level 4s?"

"Near Hevlaska's chamber," the man said while pointing at a place near the five blinking green dots.

Komui thanked the man and staggered back over to his place against the wall.

"You get that, Tiedoll?"

"_I did. According to Lenalee-chan, Chloe-chan said that there were only two Level 4s left to deal with. Lenalee-chan also told me that Chloe-chan said she had the situation covered and not to leave the barrier until they finished and contacted us."_

"Why is Lenalee the one telling you all this?"

"_Chloe-chan's transmitter seems to have been 'fried,' in so many words. Any communication with Chloe-chan's party will most likely come from either Lenalee-chan or Yuu-kun."_

"Stay safe over there, and please keep me posted," Komui said with a frown.

Tiedoll didn't reply, but Komui wasn't expecting one.

The Chinese scientist sighed and passed a hand over his face. He had so many questions and too few answers, and that never boded well for anyone. There was no telling why the Earl suddenly decided to attack Headquarters again. Leverrier had Central's Science Department monitoring for attacks on other key locations, but no other branches were reporting akuma sightings.

There were only three reasons Komui could quickly think of to explain the second attack on his branch: the Earl was attempting to retrieve Allen Walker and the Fourteenth by force; the Earl wanted to destroy Hevlaska and the Innocence pieces she possessed in the hopes that all the exorcists' Innocence would deactivate; or, the Earl was merely assessing the exorcists' strength before moving along with his twisted plans.

Komui had a gut feeling, however, that the attack had a much more sinister purpose behind it, and he prayed that everyone would be alive and safe when this long day was finally over.

* * *

With five exorcists, taking down two Level 4s shouldn't have been _this_ hard.

Chloe and Kanda both cursed when they saw one Level 4 grab Lenalee in mid-air and throw her directly into Tevak as the Third exorcist lunged, and the female exorcists slammed into the landing with enough force to crack the top layer of stone. The pale-colored akuma grinned and raised its arm in the fallen exorcists' direction. Chloe was in the closest position to intervene, so she dropped her defense and sprinted toward Lenalee and Tevak, leaving Kanda to cover her back.

Kanda used Mugen to block the salvo of bullets the black Level 4 was shooting at Chloe's back, and the Japanese exorcist remained where he stood even when the dark-colored akuma lunged toward him. Madarao lunged from behind the black Level 4 and raised his transformed hand. The akuma didn't even bother turning its head as it lifted its other arm, and Madarao scrambled out of the way as several bursts of Dark matter flew towards him as well.

Chloe kicked the Level 4's limb aside as it began to glow, and a large ball of Dark matter careened into the wall several meters away from Lenalee and Tevak, showering the unconscious exorcists in dust and debris. The red-haired girl scowled and kicked at the akuma again. The white Level 4 caught Chloe's ankle and smirked while twisting her leg, but Chloe pushed off on her free foot and allowed her body to turn naturally. The akuma's expression morphed into surprise when Chloe's other boot slammed into the side of its face, and Chloe easily broke the Level 4's grip on her ankle as it flew back from the force of her kick. The red-haired girl rolled to her feet when she hit the ground and reached for the gun tucked into her waistband. She fired off four shots—two at the white Level 4 and two at the black Level 4—and the two akuma drew back enough for Kanda and Madarao to retreat to the landing as well.

"Madarao, cover Lenalee and Tevak," Chloe said while glancing over at her comatose comrades.

The Third exorcist nodded and chanted under his breath. A glowing ring appeared around Lenalee and Tevak, and Madarao took up a position in the center of the circle. Kanda glanced at Chloe only to find her staring intently at the black Level 4.

"Bellerose?"

"Something's not right," the red-haired girl replied.

"Care to be any _more_ specific?"

"Would if I could."

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with," Kanda said while placing his left hand on the flat of Mugen's blade. His murmured "Sangenshiki" began the uncomfortable but necessary drain on his life. **(2)**

Chloe unsheathed her own sword as she shoved the gun into place at her back. The blade began to glow once again, and Chloe rolled her shoulders while taking a step closer to Kanda.

"Which one?" she asked.

"Black," Kanda replied.

The red-haired girl nodded and turned her attention to the white Level 4. After a moment, both exorcists leapt at their chosen akuma.

* * *

In a whitewashed room far, far away from the besieged building, the dark-haired Noah of Pleasure sat cross-legged in front of the red-haired Noah of Despair with a puzzled expression on his face.

"You want to _borrow_ my Noah power?" Tyki Mikk finally said.

"I do," Charlotte said.

"Why?"

Charlotte smirked and lifted her left hand up to eye level. Her palm shimmered and began to glow faint blue.

"The Earl wants to know just what makes the Order's prized Second tick," she replied. "Maybe then _he_ will finally wake up."

"I thought the seal couldn't be broken," Tyki said in confusion.

"Not by _us_. At least, not yet. That's why I need your help, Tyki. The Earl wants my research done before he gets back from his business trip."

The Noah of Pleasure shrugged while running a hand through his hair.

"All right, I'll help. What do you need me to do?"

"Hold out your hand and imagine using your ability to pass through any object or space."

Tyki did as asked, and Charlotte held her glowing hand over his and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, Tyki's hand went numb, and the sensation quickly spread up to his forearm. He tried to move his hand, but his body refused to obey him. Tyki growled in frustration and frowned when Charlotte giggled back at him.

"I'm almost done, promise," she said as the numbness crawled up his bicep.

Several more moments passed, and Tyki's entire arm was nothing more than an unfeeling dead weight somehow staying suspended in mid-air thanks to Charlotte's strange magic. Feeling suddenly returned to Tyki's arm in a painful rush, and he grabbed his arm as Charlotte dropped her glowing hand into her lap.

"Thank you very much for your help, Tyki," she said while opening her gold eyes.

"What did I do?" the Noah of Pleasure asked as he massaged his sore limb.

Charlotte's smirk widened, and she chanted something under her breath.

"Close your eyes and watch your contribution to my research at work."

Tyki eyed the young Noah of Despair suspiciously but closed his eyes anyway. His curiosity outweighed his cautiousness. He wanted to see just what this enigma of a Noah had in store for the exorcists.

* * *

Kanda held back a pained groan as he pushed himself to his feet. The black Level 4's last kick had broken through his guard and slammed into his gut. The initial blow cracked three of his ribs, and the rough introduction to the wall finished the job and broke them. Kanda wasn't worried about his ribs, though. It was the attack itself that bothered him. When the akuma's foot connected with his abdomen, Kanda felt like something crept across his skin from the contact. He lifted up his shirt to examine his stomach for any signs of something, but all he saw was dried blood, grim, and bruises.

The Japanese exorcist looked up when he heard a _crash_ to his right. Chloe spat out several curses as she stumbled away from the wall, and she placed a hand on her side with a frown. She shook her head and glanced over at Kanda.

"Kanda, I don't think the Level 4 will die from blood loss should it get a massive nosebleed from staring at your rather attractive abs for too long," the red-haired girl said with a smirk.

The Japanese exorcist flushed while pulling his shirt back down.

"Stop screwing around and get back to work, Bellerose."

"As you wish, Kanda-_sama_."

Kanda _almost_ rolled his eyes at the red head's mid-battle antics, but he settled for scowling instead as he lunged at the black Level 4.

Fighting the Level 4 had proved to be very frustrating for the Japanese exorcist. He couldn't find an opening long enough to use any really damaging attacks. The Level 4 was fast, nearly faster than Kanda with Sangenshiki increasing his speed, and it seemed to be unnervingly adept at predicting his moves. Kanda could feel his frustration at the stalemate starting to overflow and pushed it back down before it started to affect his judgment.

"Is that all you've got, Exorcist?" the Level 4 said while lazily blocking an overhead strike with one arm. "You're no fun to play with, weak—,"

"_Shut up_."

The black akuma careened head-over-heels backwards for several feet, and Kanda sprinted after the tumbling Level 4 with an angry cry.

"Bakuhakuzan!" **(3)**

Mugen slashed across the akuma's body as easily as always, but Kanda could sense that something was off as he skidded to a stop behind the Level 4. The Japanese exorcist turned around and frowned at the akuma-less space in front of him. Normally, that particular attack would leave some evidence of the akuma's destruction behind, even with a direct hit. Kanda quickly scanned the area but saw no trace of the black Level 4 whatsoever.

"Nice try, Exorcist."

Kanda whipped around and found himself face-to-face with the black Level 4. The Japanese exorcist felt something cold and cylindrical press against his left side, and dread washed over him when he saw the akuma's red eyes flash to gold then back to red.

"Now, it's _my_ turn."

The akuma's gun reported loudly, echoing eerily throughout the nearly destroyed chamber. An agony-filled cry rang out a second later, and a body smacked down onto the landing with a sickening _thud_ followed by a glowing sword that hit the newly cracked stone with a harsh metal _clang_.

"BELLEROSE!"

* * *

**Translations:**

**(1) ¡Cállate y morir, pendejos!** **– **This phrase means "Shut up and die, assholes!" in Spanish.

**(2) Sangenshiki – **For people like me who pretend they know Japanese, this means something along the lines of "Third Illusion (Style)."

**(3) Bakuhakuzan – **Again with the Japanese. Yeah…I don't know what it means, but Google's nifty translator might? It's much more accurate than I am.

**Guess who's a cruel author? *Raises hand* Yeah, me. Chapter 16 left off with a sort-of cliffy, but now Chapter 17 just leaves you dangling right over the edge!  
**

**Not to worry, folks, the author has a plan! See, I'm getting a week off to do whatever I want, whenever I want, so Chapter 18 should be out in a snap! No more year long waits for you, my friends! At least, that's the plan…oh bother.**

**Review if you want to! It helps kick start the author if you do!**


	18. Chapter 18: Defile

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note: Okay, so it's been a little longer than a week, but at least it hasn't been over a year! I'll apologize in advance, I wrote this chapter basically in a few hours last night, so if it doesn't make a lot of sense, sorry!**

**Anyway, answering reviews time!**

**Melty-chan 93: Here you go! Hope you like it! (:**

**Lathya: No worries, my dear! I can't hurt Kanda...much. Chloe would have my head otherwise!**

**ISeeClearly: Yes, you _do_ see clearly! Thanks, and here you go! ^_^**

**Here we go!**

* * *

**Chapter 18: Defile  
**

For several terrifying seconds, Kanda stood frozen in shock and honest-to-God fear as the uncoordinated jumble of red and black tumbled through the air. The Japanese exorcist vaguely registered the stomach-turning _smack_ when Chloe's body slammed down on the landing, and he visibly flinched when Chloe's sword impaled itself in the stone only a foot from her head.

"BELLEROSE!"

The shout left his lips unbidden, but it kicked his brain into gear. Kanda regained the ability to move and sprinted toward the prone red head, ignoring the voice screaming in the back of his mind for him to do the opposite and finish off the akuma.

He lurched to a stop when a large blast of Dark matter slammed into the ground in front of him, and he was forced to turn his attention back to the Level 4s when he had to block another blast aimed at his head.

"Tevak, keep the barrier up until I get back."

Kanda was close enough to hear Madarao's order over the fighting, and he spared a quick glance over his shoulder after pushing the two Level 4s back. The Third exorcist had scampered from the safety of the barrier and over to where Chloe lay. Madarao placed a hand against the red-haired girl's neck, and he let out a sigh after a moment. The Third exorcist caught Kanda's questioning gaze and nodded.

_She's alive._

The Japanese exorcist held back a relieved sigh as the two Level 4s lunged once again, and he dodged the blasts of Dark matter from the white akuma while parrying the black akuma's punches and kicks with Mugen. Kanda managed to keep the two akumas' attention solely on him until the black Level 4 suddenly stopped attacking and stared right at Madarao as the Third exorcist quickly but carefully made his way back the barrier with Chloe in his arms. The black akuma sped toward Madarao and Chloe, and Kanda had to leap farther away when the white akuma bombarded him with blast after blast of Dark matter.

"Get out of my way!" Kanda shouted angrily as he swiped at the Level 4 with Mugen.

The white akuma laughed and continued shooting at him. Kanda could feel his frustration starting to boil over into rage as the Level 4 danced just out of his reach. He didn't have _time_ to dick around with the damn thing, not with Bellerose unconscious and another Level 4 trying to kill her and Madarao. Mugen seemed to agree with its livid wielder, and power began to outwardly pour from the Innocence imbued blade to match Kanda's growing ire.

Finally, with the new power coursing through him and his blade, Kanda landed a blow on the sick imitation of a cherub. The white Level 4 backed away as fast as it could while missing a leg and part of an arm with the enraged Japanese exorcist hot on its trail. The akuma screamed as Kanda brought Mugen down on its shoulder, and the ear-splitting noise abruptly cut off when the Innocence blade flared with power and sliced through its body in one fluid motion.

"Very good, Exorcist!"

Once again, Kanda found himself almost nose to nose with the black Level 4. He tried to backpedal out of firing range, but the akuma anticipated the move and grabbed the front of his shirt with a smirk.

"That level of power can't beat me, though," it said while pulling back its free arm. "I guess more motivation is needed to—,"

The akuma let out a choked noise and glanced down at the glowing blade buried to the hilt in its side. There was a surprised expression on the Level 4's dark face, and something inside Kanda just _snapped_.

"As if I'd fall for the same thing twice," Kanda growled as he twisted Mugen.

The Japanese exorcist viciously yanked his sword from the Level 4's body and spun quickly on his heel while bringing up his right leg. The black akuma went sailing into the opposite wall from the force of Kanda's kick, and Kanda couldn't help but smirk as he watched several thick sections of the now destroyed stone fall and pin the Level 4 to the landing. The Japanese exorcist could feel an enormous amount of strength flowing through his body and his sword as his rage was converted into sheer power. A part of him knew that being consumed by his emotions was the worst thing he could do, but a darker part of him urged him onward to the kill.

Kanda fought to calm himself down. Fighting in this mindset would only get him killed. However, as soon as he started to regain his composure, his mind dredged up the chilling memory of Chloe's pained shriek as the akuma's bullet tore through _her_ body instead of _his_ and the alarming way she remained so _still _after hitting the landing.

All rational thought quickly vanished as his fury quite literally _erupted _outward in a surge of power and green radiance, and Kanda launched himself at the buried akuma with a savage battle cry. He knew somewhere in his mind that he was going berserk and wondered why he was getting so angry. He supposed he just couldn't find it in himself to stop or hold back anymore, not with the akuma that tried to kill Bellerose at his mercy.

The Japanese exorcist was within a few feet of the Level 4 when something heavy crashed into his side. He swung his sword wildly at the new attacker as they stumbled sideways, but his wrist was caught and twisted in an iron grip until Mugen slipped through his pain ridden fingers and spiraled out of view. Kanda's anger grew ten-fold at being disarmed, and he brought his knee up into the assailant's gut in retaliation as they fought for control. He heard a strangled yell and the hold on his wrist tightened enough to nearly crush bone. Kanda cried out when he was brutally slammed down onto unyielding stone, and his other wrist and his legs were quickly immobilized by another hand and two bony knees before he could start struggling again—not that he didn't try.

"Calm down! Calm down, Cabrón, it's _me_!"

Kanda's eyes flew open at the familiar voice, and, sure enough, Chloe Bellerose was leaning over him with a scowl on her bruised, dirt-streaked face. His eyes wandered from her face down to the leaking hole in the red-haired girl's side, and his rage spiked even more at just how much blood had and was continuing to soak through the remains of her shirt. Kanda managed to free one wrist and was working on the other one when the side of his face exploded with pain. Blood filled his sinuses and clogged his throat, choking him momentarily until he rolled his ringing skull to the side and coughed to expel the metallic-tasting liquid from his mouth. He dragged his eyes open when he could breathe again and found himself staring into angry crimson eyes. Kanda recoiled when an enormous amount of power began to press down on him, and Chloe's eyes narrowed as she leaned down until her nose nearly touched his.

"You feel this power, Kanda?" she hissed. "This is the power of anger and hatred. It seems strong because anger is easier to mold into strength, but this power isn't that strong at all."

The unbearable pressure suddenly released, and Kanda blinked up at Chloe in confusion a second before another sensation swept over him. Warmth began to fill his body as the red seeped from Chloe's eyes. Anger was rapidly replaced by a mixture of emotions in her blue-green irises, and Kanda could feel his own rage slowly ebbing away with each passing minute of eye contact with Chloe.

"Anger and hatred may give you great power, but the cost of this power is self-destruction. I don't want that to happen to you."

Chloe leaned back and regarded the Japanese exorcist coolly.

"And, if you _ever_ start with this crap again, Kanda, I'll personally kick your ass until _you _come to, understand?"

Kanda nodded, and Chloe smiled while lifting up her right hand.

"This might sting a bit," was all the warning the Japanese exorcist received before the red-haired girl's glowing hand slapped down on his stomach and pain lanced through his midsection.

* * *

"_ARGH!"_

Tyki Mikk opened his eyes at Charlotte's shout, and he frowned when he saw the red-haired woman doubled over and gripping her left wrist.

"Charlotte?" he said while reaching over and poking her shoulder.

The red head swore vehemently in French, Spanish, English, and a few other languages Tyki hadn't heard in years while leaning back. Tyki winced when he caught sight of Charlotte's charred hand and tried not to wrinkle his nose at the burning-flesh smell that was assaulting his nose.

"Cette salope m'a vraiment fait mal! _Moi_, sa propre soeur!" Charlotte hissed as her hand slowly began to heal itself. **(1)**

"Are you all right?" Tyki asked once the swearing died down.

Charlotte nodded and flexed her fingers with a scowl. The flesh was no longer burnt, but the pain was lingering for some reason.

"She's _never _retaliated."

"Until now," Tyki pointed out.

"Yes, until now," Charlotte said while glaring at her fellow Noah. "No matter, though. Enough leaked through, and I have all the information I need. That should please the Earl when he returns."

"What do you plan to do now?" Tyki asked.

Charlotte's dark frown morphed into a malicious smirk as she closed her golden eyes once again.

"Chloe must be punished _severely_ for her actions."

* * *

Kanda was silently damning Chloe Bellerose's immortal soul to the deepest pits of Hell when the agony finally tapered off.

"Not so bad, right?"

The Japanese exorcist chose to sit up and breathe rather than to glare at Chloe for her sarcastic remark.

"The hell was that for, Bellerose?" he finally choked out once the pain had lessened to a more manageable level.

"Precautionary measures," the red-haired girl replied as she stood up. "You ready to finish this?" she asked while holding out a hand.

Kanda took Chloe's hand and allowed her to pull him to his feet. The Japanese exorcist scanned the area for Mugen and was pleased to note the blade was within stepping distance. He wasn't sure he could get much farther at this point without help, and Bellerose was in no shape to assist him with her injury (rather _injuries_, he should say). Kanda slowly made his way over to his sword and carefully bent down to pick it up. He heard something shifting as he straightened back up, and he turned in the direction of the buried Level 4 while placing two fingers at the tip of his weapon.

"Mugen, act—,"

The sword sparked violently before the word could leave Kanda's mouth, and the Japanese exorcist crashed to his knees as his stomach twisted and clenched. He tasted blood in the back of his throat. He was rebounding.

"Kanda, move!"

The Japanese exorcist dragged his gaze from the ground up to the blurry black thing standing in front of him. He saw the large white "4" on the thing's belly and tried to push himself back up with Mugen's help. Kanda made it to his feet, but he couldn't move any farther. It had been a very, very long time since his last rebound, and that one had left him unable to move for nearly a week, but he had been able to make it to the infirmary before he'd collapsed. This rebound, however, seemed to be much worse than the previous one.

"Chloe, you must be punished for your actions," the black Level 4 said. "Self…"

Time slowed to a crawl as the akuma enunciated the last word of the deadly command.

"…de…"

Kanda caught a glimpse of red hair when he was suddenly pushed backward.

"…struct!"

The akuma exploded in a flash of light and fire and with a scream so foul everyone in the building shivered.

* * *

General Tiedoll's eyes widened as a tremor passed through the cafeteria hard enough to shake dust and mortar from the walls and floor. The only thing capable of causing the building to shake so hard was an explosion, and the only thing he could think of that had the ability to cause such a large blast was an akuma—more specifically, a Level 4 akuma.

"Lavi, take Allen and Krory and search for Chloe and everyone with her," he ordered with a frown.

The red-haired boy nodded and jogged through the slightly open doors with Allen and Krory at his heels. The general's frown deepened when he noticed the barrier outside the door was disappearing.

"Komui, are there any more akuma in the building?" Tiedoll asked.

"_None are showing up on the radar here. Why?"_

"Did the last Level 4 disappear a few seconds ago?"

"_As a matter of fact, it did. General, what's—,"_

"Komui, I think the akuma self-destructed."

"_What makes you say that?"_ Komui asked after a moment.

"Intuition, I suppose," Tiedoll replied. "Where was the akuma anyway?"

"_One chamber away from Hevlaska."_

The general relayed the location to Lavi, Allen, and Krory.

"_Has Lenalee come back to the cafeteria yet, Tiedoll?"_

"No, I'm afraid she hasn't, but not to worry—,"

"_**Nii-san?"**_

Tiedoll blinked at the interruption, but Komui wasted no time.

"_Lenalee-chan, are you all right? General Tiedoll said the akuma self-destructed, and I was afraid you were hurt, and—,"_

"_**Nii-san, I'm fine. So are Madarao and Tevak."**_

"_That's great to hear!"_

Tiedoll smiled at the news.

"_**But Nii-san, we can't see Chloe or Kanda anywhere."**_

The grin instantly dropped from his lips.

"Where were they before the explosion?" he asked.

Lenalee whispered briefly to someone else before answering.

"_**Madarao says he saw them standing in front of the akuma just before it self-destructed."**_

All was silent across the radio waves.

"Lenalee-chan, if you and the Third exorcists can walk, try to find Lavi, Allen, and Krory. They are looking for you," Tiedoll finally said.

"_But General, what about Kanda and Chloe?"_

"Our priority now is to get the Lenalee and the Third exorcists back here for treatment. We can look for—,"

Tiedoll stopped abruptly when he heard two muffled _thuds_ and several alarmed shouts. The general swiftly made his way over to the source of the noises. He pushed his way through a clump of chattering finders and gasped when he saw two very familiar and very injured exorcists lying on the floor.

"What happened?" Tiedoll asked the closest finder.

"This giant hole just opened up in front of us, and then General Bellerose and Kanda _fell_ out of it," the man replied.

"Someone get Matron over here, now!" the general said while kneeling down in front of the prone exorcists.

Kanda and Chloe were covered in dirt, grime, bruises, and blood, but the most worrying of their injuries were the angry red burns covering Kanda's left side and Chloe's right leg. Matron appeared at Tiedoll's side after a few minutes, and she almost immediately turned around and called for two stretchers.

"Marie and Chaoji will escort you all to the infirmary and clear the way," Tiedoll said as several nurses and doctors carefully lifted Chloe and Kanda onto stretchers.

"_**General Tiedoll?"**_

"_General, what's going on?"_

"Kanda and Chloe are still alive," Tiedoll replied.

"_**What?"**_

"_How?"_

"I have no idea. I imagine Chloe had a hand in it, though," he said with a smile.

"_Thank God you're all safe! Please rest. I'll be over there as soon as I can."_

Tiedoll let out a long sigh and collapsed at a nearby table. The battle was finally over, yet the war was far from being finished. Tiedoll knew this fight had been a test, but for what, he didn't know. There were too many questions that needed answers, and, at the moment, the general was much too tired to go looking for them. For now, all he could do was hope that the answers came before it was too late and countless people were killed.

* * *

**Translation:**

**(1) ****Cette salope m'a vraiment fait mal! _Moi_, sa propre soeur = French for "That/this bitch actually hurt me! **_**Me**_**, her own sister!**" _**Charlotte has a bit of a potty mouth today, it seems!**_

__Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll do my best to update soon!


	19. Chapter 19: Dustoff

**Cross My Heart**

**Chapter 19: Dustoff**

**Author's Note: So...it's been a lot longer than I seemed to have realized until last night. Time flies when you're in college, I guess. Anywho, 'tis a bit of a fluffy piece since the last three chapters involved lots of violence and bloodshed. Plus, I felt like I was beating up Kanda and Chloe too much. I might've spurred a mutiny if I continued down that path. No matter! All is well and the story has finally been updated again! Yay! I make no promises in getting another chapter out soon, but I shall do my best!**

**Reviews:**

**Melty-chan** **93: **I'm glad the battle's finally over too! I didn't know it was going to last _quite _so long, though...oh well. Thanks for reading and leaving your review!

**Laytha:** No worries about Chloe and Kanda. They're troopers. They'll handle whatever is dished out at them quickly and professionally...(ah, who am I kidding? This is Kanda Yuu and Chloe Bellerose we're talking about here!) Thanks for sticking with the story all this time, my dear! You too are a real trooper! Also, thank you for your reviews! They always make me smile (:

**WolfLover17:** I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner. College doesn't equal more free time with my major, unfortunately. I don't think I left you guys with a cliffhanger this time...tee hee! Thanks for your review!

**ISeeClearly:** Nope! This story has been with me since high school. I will see it through to the end, no matter what! Unfortunately, updates won't be forthcoming at a consistent rate because of my schedule and my tendency to value a few extra minutes of sleep instead of writing before class. I'll get that fixed one day. Anyway, I shall make more cliffhangers in the future, just for you (not that I haven't had enough of them already...)! Thanks for your review!

* * *

Kanda regained consciousness in slow degrees.

His thoughts were muddled and fleeting—one thought would only linger for a few seconds before another would force its way to the forefront. It was as if a thick fog had saturated his mind while he slept. When had he even gone to sleep? And why was he so disoriented? The only times he woke up in such a confused state was when he had been injured severely enough that he was brought to the infirmary and Matron kept him under with heavy painkillers so he could sleep through the pain.

He focused on trying to figure out what happened and began to push through the haze in his mind. His memories held glimpses of a drawn out battle that ended in intense heat and pain, along with a strong sense of worry. The last thing he really remembered was falling backwards into darkness as a wall of fire passed overhead. Someone else had been with him desperately reaching out to him as the flames licked at the edges of the void, and he had reached out to the person despite the heat bearing down on them. The inferno began to swallow them. Boiling pain raced up his left arm and along his side, and he heard a familiar voice cry out near him. The smell of burning flesh assaulted his nose a second later, and he would've been physically ill had the abyss not suddenly opened up and his descent was stopped by a hard, unforgiving surface. Painless unconsciousness claimed him soon afterward.

More memories began to solidify themselves in Kanda's mind after that: the second attack on Headquarters, fighting alongside Marie and then Lenalee, two Level 4s, Bellerose getting shot, the Level 4 self-destructing in front of him—all of it came back in a rush that left him breathless and even more worried than before.

Where was Bellerose? How badly had she been hurt? Was she even still alive? Why couldn't he remem—

"Matron, Kanda's awake!"

Matron would know where Chloe was. Kanda cracked open one eye and instantly regretted it. His vision completely whited out, and he heard a choked scream as pain raged through the back of his skull. Kanda vaguely realized he was the one that had cried out when his entire body began to throb in time with his rapidly beating heart and aching skull.

"What happened?" Matron asked.

"He was unconscious then he suddenly began to breathe rapidly and thrash about!"

"The painkillers must have worn off. Go get me another—,"

Kanda growled in frustration and opened his eyes, ignoring his throbbing head. He didn't want more painkillers. He wanted—

_**Kanda, calm down.**_

The Japanese exorcist froze at the familiar voice echoing through his mind. _Bellerose…?_

_**Let Matron help you, Cabrón.**_

His grip on reality started to slip again, and he clung to the shreds of consciousness as his body was filled with warmth from a combination of the painkillers and knowing his worry was in vain.

_**Sleep and forget for now. You can remember everything after you've healed.**_

The remaining tension rapidly seeped from his mind and body, and peaceful darkness enveloped him in its gentle embrace as the drugs finally kicked in.

* * *

The next time Kanda woke, the confusion and the haze were gone. His body still ached and his head hurt like hell, but at least he could think coherently now. Kanda carefully opened his eyes, letting the light in a little at a time, and blinked several times to bring the room into focus. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until the Japanese exorcist noticed a black folder sitting near his right foot. Kanda stared at the folder for a while, wondering distantly _why_ it was on his bed as well as considering whether or not to kick it off.

"You finally decided to join the real world, Sleeping Beauty?"

Kanda almost let out a relieved sigh upon hearing the familiar voice nearby. _Almost._ Had she not made a sarcastic comment (which would have been totally out of character for her and worrisome) the Japanese exorcist might have done it. He settled for slowly turning his head in the direction the voice had come from and blinking until his eyes decided to catch up.

"Took you long enough," Chloe said as she leaned forward in her chair and placed the packet of papers in her hands on the folder beside Kanda's foot. She grinned while tucking a pen behind one ear then said, "Now I have an excuse to get out of finishing my report."

"I'm not an excuse," Kanda said with a scowl. At least, that's what he tried to say. All that really came out of his mouth was garbled nonsense in a dry whisper.

"Water?" Chloe said while reaching down beside her chair.

Kanda didn't bother nodding and focused on sitting up. Unfortunately, the farthest Kanda could push his pain-ridden body was up on his right elbow. He tried to lift his left arm, but the burning limb refused to do anything but lie on the mattress. Chloe scooted forward some more in her chair and lifted a mysteriously produced glass of water to Kanda's lips.

"Don't worry about your manly dignity. No one else is here to witness your weakness, and I'm about the last person that'll go around telling," the red-haired girl said softly.

Kanda took slow, careful sips from the glass until Chloe pulled it away a few moments later.

"You can have some more in a little bit. No use in making you sick on top of everything else," the red-haired girl said while placing the glass down on the floor beside her chair.

"How long was I out?" Kanda asked as he slowly shifted onto his back again. Everything _hurt_, and no matter how much he tried to hide it, the Japanese exorcist could tell Bellerose knew, freaky mind-reading powers aside.

"Long enough that Matron was actually considering letting Allen and Lavi wake you up," Chloe replied with a grin. "Lucky for you, you decided to finally get up. They were going to set their first plan in motion this afternoon."

The Japanese exorcist scowled at the thought of being awoken in such a way by the two idiots.

"Speaking of your favorite idiots, they'll probably be coming by soon, so you should rest. In the meantime, I'm going to finish my report," Chloe said while reaching for the papers and the folder again.

She leaned back in her chair as she reached for the pen behind her ear. Kanda glared at the red-haired girl for a moment then let out a sigh and closed his eyes. He felt himself start to drift off before a thought had him struggling to open his eyes again. The Japanese exorcist pushed himself up on his right elbow again and waited until his head stopped throbbing so much to ask the question that was burning in his mind.

"Bellerose, how badly were you hurt?" he ground out through clenched teeth.

"Not as badly as you were, Kanda," the red-haired girl replied without pausing in her work.

Kanda sat up, ignoring the protests from his skull and the rest of his body, and grabbed Chloe's left wrist as she wrote. Chloe sighed while capping her pen. She put the pen on top of the paper and folder, tugging against the injured Japanese exorcist's surprisingly strong grip on her wrist as she moved, then placed the pile on the edge of Kanda's bed with a scowl. She didn't say anything for a while, and Kanda continued to hold her wrist while staring down at the red-haired girl.

"Three broken ribs on the right side, two cracked on the left. Through and through gunshot wound to the right side, just above the hip. Concussion. Bruised back. Second-degree burns from the knee down on the right leg. Stress fracture to the right fibula. Burned ear thanks to the damn wireless transmitter short-circuiting. Do I need to continue, or do you want to see for yourself like last time?" Chloe finally stated in a brisk, formal tone.

Kanda didn't reply, but he did relax his grip on her wrist a bit. Chloe didn't try to pull away and slowly met Kanda's gaze after a few moments. Her eyes were filled with concern, pain, and something else the Japanese exorcist couldn't identify right then.

"Your injuries were a lot worse than mine," Chloe said softly. "Don't worry about me right now, Kanda. You should rest before Matron kicks my ass for riling you up."

It was then that Kanda figured out what else he was seeing in the red-haired girl's eyes—guilt. The Japanese exorcist let out a "Che" then tightened his grip on Chloe's wrist and pulled her toward him. Chloe let out a surprised squawk as she tumbled unceremoniously onto the bed, sprawled half on the bed and half across Kanda's lap, and the Japanese exorcist quickly released her wrist and wrapped his arm around her back before she could start protesting. With a sigh, Chloe leaned her forehead against Kanda's good shoulder and carefully slid an arm around Kanda as well.

"Bellerose, I don't know why you're feeling guilty, but that's gonna stop _right now_. It's not your fault I'm hurt, you idiot," Kanda said after a few moments.

"It is, though," Chloe whispered. "I hit you hard enough to give you a concussion and break your cheekbone, and yeah, it helped you come to your senses, but…"

"Makes us even for me stabbing you a while back," Kanda said with a chuckle.

"I know I did the _right_ thing—,"

"Damn right—_ow!_ Did you just—?"

"_Listen_, Cabrón!" Chloe hissed while tightening her grip on the lock of black hair in her grasp. "Just like you felt guilty for stabbing me way back when, I'm allowed to be upset for causing you head trauma," she said. "Maybe I knocked some sense into you—_ow!_"

Kanda smirked as he twisted the long strands of red hair between his fingers. Chloe lifted her head from the Japanese exorcist's shoulder a few moments later. She placed the back of her right hand against Kanda's forehead and frowned.

"No fever. I guess you can't blame your strange clingy behavior today on that, then," the red-haired girl said while lowering her arm.

"_Clingy_? The _hell_'re you talkin' about, Bellerose?" Kanda said in confusion.

Chloe grinned while tapping the Japanese exorcist on the nose with a finger. "You have yet to stop hugging me—in _public_, I might add—and _you_ are the one that forced me to sit in your lap, my dear Kanda. While I _do_ appreciate the gesture to make me feel better—it has worked splendidly, by the way—it astonishes me that you're being so _open_ with your affection today. I guess I hit you too hard after all. A few wires may have gotten crossed, not that I mind or anything."

Kanda sputtered and blushed, and Chloe laughed when the Japanese exorcist resorted to glaring at her when he couldn't think of a proper response. Luckily for him, Matron strode toward the bed a minute after that, so Chloe carefully released Kanda and shifted until she was partially leaning on the bed and partially standing on her left foot.

"Hello, Matron," the red-haired girl said.

"Hello, Chloe," Matron said with a smile. "Taking care of the patient for me?"

"Thoroughly."

"Splendid. And how is the report coming?"

"Despite being distracted for a while, all I have to do is sign it and take it to Komui. Do you have any—,"

"I put some crutches by your bed."

Chloe reached over and grabbed the pile of papers and the folder before straightening up again. "Thanks, Matron. And don't be too hard on him. I think he's still suffering side-effects from the concussion," she said while taking a quick hop out of Kanda's reach.

Kanda scowled in an attempt to hide the redness of his face, and Matron shook her head while watching as Chloe hopped on one leg over to the bed across the aisle from Kanda's.

"You two are a riot," Matron said as Chloe began slowly crutching her way toward the exit. "Now, let's have a look under those bandages, Kanda…"

* * *

After a week passed, Kanda and Chloe demanded to be released from the infirmary. Well, Kanda demanded loudly while Chloe asked politely. Kanda's burns had mostly healed, and the only thing that bothered him now was the stiffness and soreness in his left side and arm that was fading day by day. Chloe had healed enough that she no longer required multiple bandage changes per day, but she was still going to need crutches for another week at least. Matron grudgingly decided to release the two exorcists since she had no reason to keep them under her care any longer.

"Don't look so smug, you two," Matron said as she finished taping a clean square of gauze to Chloe's back. "You may be getting released today, but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Especially you, Chloe," she added while giving the taped square a good slap to make sure it would stay in place.

Chloe let out a strained laugh as she reached for the crutches leaning against the bed. "Thanks Matron. I'll keep that in mind when I'm thinking of doing something stupid," she said as she pushed herself up on her left foot with help from the wooden crutches.

"Chloe, no training until your leg heals. I want you to come back in a week and we'll see about getting rid of those crutches. Komui and I agreed that you will not be going on any missions for at least another week," Matron said while moving across the aisle to Kanda's bed. "Now you, Kanda," she said as she gently prodded the boy's slightly swollen side, "I don't recommend training for another few days. Komui won't be assigning you missions for another week either, so don't try to train again until the soreness and stiffness go away, understand?"

Kanda scowled but nodded when Matron poked his stiff left arm _especially_ hard.

"All right, you two, get out before I change my mind!" Matron said while placing her hands on her hips and stepping into the aisle.

"Get a move on, Bellerose. I'm starving," Kanda said as he stood up and pulled on his shirt.

"Crutches only have one speed, Kanda-_sama_, and that's _slow_," Chloe said while hobbling around her bed. "Besides, Jerry wouldn't let anyone else touch your precious soba whether you get to the cafeteria in two minutes or ten."

Kanda scowled at Chloe's retort, but he fell into step beside the red-haired girl as they headed for the exit in search of food. Jerry let out a joyful noise when he saw the two injured exorcists walk (or in Bellerose's case, _crutch_) into the cafeteria. The Indian man quickly began making Kanda's customary soba and green tea, along with some Spanish dish he insisted Chloe would just _love_. After a few minutes, Kanda and Chloe made their way to a table with their food (the Japanese exorcist had grabbed the red-haired girl's tray before she could try to grab it) and sat down on opposite sides from each other. Kanda dug into his soba with a hint of a smile—Matron only allowed infirmary patients to eat a strict diet, and they had been confined for almost over three weeks with only the bland provided portions of food at mealtimes. To say that he missed the taste of soba was an understatement. Sure, he ate it all the time, but at least the noodles had _flavor_.

After a surprising lack of interruptions during the meal, Kanda and Chloe mutually decided it was a good idea to continue avoiding any acquaintances for the remainder of the day. Chloe led the way to a deserted part of the building, ducking through hidden passageways and a confusing number of hallways until the two exorcists reached a pair of heavy wooden doors at the very end of a corridor. Kanda pushed open one door and instantly paused to examine what lay beyond the threshold. Considering the fact that the building was supposed to have been abandoned before the Order moved Headquarters there, the Japanese exorcist was thoroughly astonished to see a large, well taken care of garden on the other side of the door. The room had probably functioned as some sort of conservatory judging by the amount of glass paneling surrounding the garden on all sides except where Kanda was standing, but almost all the glass was missing, sending a warm, gentle breeze through the garden and its animal and floral inhabitants. There was even a small fountain gurgling away in the center of the garden, along with several conveniently located stone benches that looked extremely sturdy despite being exposed to the elements for so long. The garden with its beauty and simplicity exuded tranquility as well as a sense of privacy the rest of the building lacked.

"I found this place by accident the day before our last mission," Chloe said after a few minutes. "I thought you'd like it."

Kanda nodded in agreement then frowned since Bellerose couldn't see his face. "What were you doing before you found it?" he asked.

"Wandering around. I couldn't sleep," the red-haired girl replied quickly. "Go on in, Cabrón. Daylight's wasting," she said while nudging the Japanese exorcist's shoulder with her head.

It was a lame attempt at avoiding the topic, but Kanda consented to the unsaid plea and strode into the garden with Chloe at his heels.

"Feel free to look around. I'm going to sit down," Chloe said before crutching past the Japanese exorcist toward the benches surrounding the fountain.

Kanda made his way through the garden, starting at the section by the doors and working his way around at a slow gait. He had never been that interested in plants or animals, but he impressed himself when he found a plant or animal he could identify as he walked. By the time he made it to the fountain, the Japanese exorcist was exhausted yet strangely curious at the same time—he was too tired to tour the garden anymore, but a part of him desperately wanted to know what the unknown plants and animals were. Bellerose was right; he did like it here, even if he couldn't fully enjoy it at the moment.

"Do you like it?" Chloe asked as Kanda sat down next to her on one of the benches.

"Yeah, I do," the Japanese exorcist replied softly.

"I'm glad." Chloe leaned back and rested her head against the back of the bench while closing her eyes. "I've got to ask since she somehow managed to cast a spell on you through an akuma, but have you been hearing the song again?" she asked.

"Nope," Kanda replied. _I just have nightmares almost every night where I watch you get shot and fall over and over again. No big deal._

"That's a big deal, idiot."

_Damn you and your mind-reading abilities, Bellerose._

"Actually, I didn't read your mind until just now," Chloe said with a hint of a smirk. The smirk dropped as she continued, "For weeks after the Noah tried to kill you again, I had nightmares every night. Most of the time, I would get to you in time to watch you die, but other times…nevermind. You get it." The red-haired girl opened her eyes and carefully sat up. She turned to face Kanda then hesitantly reached out and grabbed one of his hands with both of hers, which was something that wouldn't have seemed possible for the two exorcists to do three weeks before. "I know how bad the nightmares can get, and you helped me when mine got the better of me, so is there anything I can do to help with your nightmares, Kanda?"

Kanda smirked and gently squeezed Bellerose's hand in return. "So, if I asked you to sleep in my bed with me to help me with my nightmares, would you do it, Bellerose?"

"Well, I'm in your debt _again_, so I suppose I would have to. Plus," Chloe said while leaning closer to the Japanese exorcist, "it's not like we haven't shared a bed before. And, if memory serves me right, I remember waking up the next morning to you trying to—,"

"—That was _your_ fault, Bellerose. You tried to punch me in your _sleep_—,"

"—who knows, you probably deserved it—,"

"—and you were the one that threw us off the side of the—,"

"—_You_ were being a pervert, admit it!"

"—then got us tangled up in the—_Hey!_ I'm not a…"

Chloe laughed as the conversation finally pieced itself together in Kanda's mind. "Took you long enough, Kanda-_sama_."

"Laugh it up while you can, Bellerose, but expect payback in return," the Japanese exorcist said with a playful glare.

"_Oh really?_ I won't enjoy this retribution of yours, will I, Cabrón?"

Kanda slowly reached up and tucked a stray lock of red hair behind Chloe's ear. It was a new experience for him to be making such loaded jokes and initiating physical interactions with someone outside of training or missions, and scarily enough, he liked it…_a lot_. "You'll absolutely hate every minute of it," he replied.

"_Oh no_." A stricken tone coupled with a mischievous grin that made his heart pound and his chest grow warm with each passing second. It took all of Kanda's willpower to continue the banter any further.

"Is that a challenge, Bellerose?"

Her grin widened and turned positively _wicked_. "What do you think it is, Kanda-_sama_?"

'Twas the straw that broke the camel's back—Kanda lasted only another second and a half after Chloe's last comment before he finally leaned forward and kissed her as he had been itching to do for a while now. The kiss was nothing more than the simple slide of lips over lips, but the sensations were oh-so-new and so…so _amazing_. Kanda couldn't put his feelings into words but could easily express them in his actions. Chloe responded to everything with equal fervor, and the garden watched silently as the two exorcists forgot everything else in the world but themselves for a few precious minutes.

* * *

**No new translations this week. I'm a lazy bum, I know. Anywho, feel free to review! The author likes to go back and read them in times of writer's block for motivation! (:**


	20. Chapter 20: Defilade

**Cross My Heart**

**Author's Note: **Hello again! I'm back! It's been awhile, hasn't it? Sorry about that. Homework is terrible. Just terrible. If it makes you any happier, the chapter EXTRA long! Well, extra long to me, anyway. Enjoy this last filler chapter (hopefully, but you never know...).

**Addy:** Thanks! I have finally updated!

**Femaleninja22:** Thanks! I'm sorry it's taken this long to finally get a chapter together. I assure you, more cuteness will ensue!

**Lathya:** You, my friend, are a real trooper! You've been with this story since day one, and I always love reading your reviews! Thanks for sticking with me! I think you'll be happy with the amount of fluffiness in this chapter! (So many exclamation points...asdfklj;eksfldfdsflkasdf;lkds)

* * *

**Chapter 20: Defilade  
**

Kanda knew something was wrong the moment he returned to Headquarters the afternoon after his week-long mission to Africa ended. He tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut as he made his verbal report to Komui, and he couldn't get out of his supervisor's office fast enough when he was finally dismissed. The Japanese exorcist had only taken a few steps in the direction of his room when he heard Lenalee calling his name. He turned and saw Lenalee jogging toward him as Krory and Miranda headed for the Ark room.

"Kanda, thank goodness you're back!" the Chinese exorcist said while clapping her hands together. "No one's seen Chloe for two days now. Nii-san says she hasn't left the building, according to the tracking device in her temporary transmitter. Do you mind looking for her? I have to leave for my mission."

Kanda opened his mouth to protest, but Lenalee took it as compliance and grinned before taking off in the opposite direction to meet back up with Krory and Miranda. The Japanese exorcist scowled while heading toward the training area. Something was definitely wrong if even _Lenalee_ didn't know where Chloe was.

The training area was full of finders but no red heads. The library contained one male red head that had absolutely no idea where his ginger comrade was either. The cafeteria was a bust as well, and he left a royally worried Moyashi in his wake when he stalked away. Marie proved to be just as unhelpful and concerned in the meditation room. Kanda made his way to the secret garden she had shown him but found no hint of Chloe. The only place he hadn't checked was her room. It didn't take long to reach Bellerose's door—somehow, she had scored the last room on the hallway when she had been assigned her living quarters.

Kanda debated with himself for a moment then decided to knock on the door for once in a show of politeness. "Oi, Bellerose, you in there?"

When Kanda heard no reply from within, he opened the door and slipped into the room. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the overwhelming darkness of the room despite it being mid-afternoon. In the seven months the Japanese exorcist had known the girl, Chloe had never been one to seek solace in darkness. In fact, she actively sought out bright (but unknown) places when she was troubled.

Kanda gradually made his way across the room in the direction of what he hoped was Chloe's bed. After tripping over a few obstacles (one of the obstructions felt distinctly like a wooden crutch when it hit his shin) and ramming his knee into the end of the bed, the Japanese exorcist felt along the mattress until he hit something definitely human.

"Bellerose?"

The girl didn't answer, but cloth rustled in response to Kanda's voice.

"Can I turn on a light?"

Again, the Japanese exorcist got no answer except for the rustling of cloth. Kanda took that as an acceptance of his request and carefully reached out until his fingers brushed the lamp that he vaguely remembered was on the cabinet next to her bed. He switched on the small light then turned toward the bed. The sheets were twisted around a tightly curled ball in the center of the bed, and a few locks of red hair were splayed out on the pillow smashed up against the wall.

"What's the matter with you?"

There was an incoherent reply from the human-sized lump under the sheets.

"I can't hear you."

The ball slowly uncurled, revealing more red hair and the arm of a dark blue sweater as Bellerose straightened out on her left side. She turned her head slightly so one blue-green eye could be seen. "Kanda, you're back. How was the mission?"

Kanda decided to ignore the weak sound of Chloe's voice for the time being and frowned. "Stop avoiding my question, Bellerose."

"I'm not avoiding the question. Just choosing not to answer it."

"Bellerose."

"That's my name."

The Japanese exorcist had no desire to keep playing this game anymore. He reached over and grabbed Chloe's arm. With surprisingly little effort, Kanda rolled the red-haired girl onto her back, and his frown deepened when he saw the tightness around Bellerose's eyes, the faint tear tracks on her cheeks, and the way her left hand clutched a white-knuckled fistful of the over-sized shirt she was wearing.

"You've got the idiots and Lenalee and Marie worried," Kanda stated when it was clear Chloe wasn't going to break the silence with answers anytime soon.

There was no reaction from the red-haired girl other than a soft, "Mm."

"Komui even tracked your transmitter just to figure out whether you'd run away or something."

Chloe cracked open her now closed eyes at that.

"They know something is up with you, especially with you pulling a disappearing act when Leverrier is nowhere to be seen. They're not _completely _stupid, you know."

The red-haired girl had the decency to look somewhat guilty, but still she remained unnervingly silent. Kanda mentally threw up his hands in defeat and turned back toward the door.

"Whatever. Hide all you want. I'm too tired to deal with this right now."

Kanda's hand was on the doorknob when a feeble "Wait!" came from the bed. He turned and waited expectantly for Bellerose to speak again. "The India mission," the girl said after a long moment as she pushed herself up to a sitting position.

"What about it?" the Japanese exorcist asked.

"You remember what happened during that mission?"

"We found the kid with the Innocence after a two-day search and ended up having to stay overnight before we could obtain it and bring it back."

"What happened during that night?"

Kanda thought for a minute, categorizing the details of the mission in hopes of stumbling over what Bellerose wanted him to remember. His eyes drifted unconsciously to the red head's left arm, and he frowned as realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "You're not a parasitic type and you were shot, but your Innocence was somehow purging the akuma virus," the Japanese exorcist stated. "And it's happening again," he added softly.

Chloe nodded while lifting up the bottom of her shirt. Kanda moved closer and winced when he saw a familiar set of markings curling around the girl's hipbone. What he could see of Chloe's right side around the healing bullet wound was completely black, and the fingers of the hand holding her shirt up were darkened as well.

"And you've been like this for two days now?" the Japanese exorcist said.

"It's been two days? No wonder they're all worried," Chloe said with fixing her shirt. "They thought I was missing?" At Kanda's nod, she said, "I haven't left my room, I don't think, and surely Lenalee and Miranda came around looking in here. Unless…"

Kanda gave the red-haired girl a few moments to contemplate before cutting back in. "Unless what, Bellerose?"

Chloe blinked as if just realizing she hadn't finished her thought. "Well, since you weren't here, I probably put up an illusion or something when I noticed the symptoms starting. I didn't want to deal with anyone seeing me like _this_ and thinking I'm dying or something," she replied.

Probably? _Right_. "Why am I able to see you then?"

"I guess because I subconsciously trust you enough to see me even in my weakest state, Cabrón," Chloe replied with a faint smirk.

Kanda let out a sigh in an attempt to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. "Getting answers out of you is like pulling teeth, Bellerose," he said in hopes of diverting her attention away from his red face.

The smirk didn't drop from the red-haired girl's face. "Are you blushing, Kanda?"

"Why would I be?" the Japanese exorcist countered with a scowl. The intimidating effect was subsequently ruined when a jaw-cracking yawn burst past his lips a moment later. Damn, he hadn't realized just how _exhausted_ he was.

"You just got back from a mission. Go get some sleep," Chloe said. "I'm not going anywhere, I swear," she added for good measure.

"Damn right you're not," Kanda said. "Move over, Bellerose," he said as he stepped out of his boots.

The red-haired girl looked at the Japanese exorcist in confusion while he shrugged out of his uniform jacket and deposited his jacket, boots, and Mugen next to the bedside cabinet. "Kanda—,"

"I just got back from a week-long solo mission. Then I had to spend an hour looking for an insufferable red head and try to figure out what was wrong with her when I could've been sleeping. The least you can do is share your bed since I had to come all the way here, Bellerose," Kanda said after a second yawn.

"Of course. I'm sure you suffered greatly on your _long _journey here. I'm such an inconsiderate host, Kanda-_sama_," Chloe said while scooting closer to the wall. "Here, you can even have my pillow, if it would so please my lord."

Kanda picked up the pillow and smacked the red-haired girl over the head with it. "Shut up and lay down, Bellerose," he said as he flopped down on the bed.

Chloe carefully shifted back down onto her left side, and Kanda was about to roll over so his back was to the red-haired girl until a hand latched onto his wrist with a surprisingly strong grip. Said hand guided him to move onto his other side facing Chloe then wrapped his arm loosely around her waist before releasing the hold on his wrist.

"Helps," Chloe murmured as she rested her arm over the Japanese exorcist's.

Kanda remained stiff for several moments while his heart raced. Sure, he had hugged Chloe before, hell, he had even carried her once (and that was all _before_ he had kissed her), but they had never been in such close physical proximity with each other except in fighting situations. It was new. It was different. It was _human_ and _warm_ and _intimate_ and so many other words that escaped him at the moment. And he liked this feeling. _A lot_.

The Japanese exorcist tightened his grip on the red-haired girl's waist while shifting close enough that her back was pressed lightly against his chest. He was on the verge of drifting off when one last question momentarily brought him back to semi-awareness.

"Bellerose, will your illusion or whatever hide me too?"

"As long as you don't let go, it probably will."

"So you have no idea."

"Not a clue."

"…_Great_."

* * *

Kanda wouldn't say he was mad. No. He wasn't mad. No, not at all. He was _pissed_.

He and Allen had been standing outside the Spanish chapel for nearly an hour with no luck in gaining entry from the protective priest inside. All the exorcists needed was a small piece of Innocence near the altar that a finder happened to spot while going to a Sunday service during some time off, but nothing either boy said could convince the balding, rounded priest that they were only visiting his chapel with friendly intentions in mind. It didn't help that the man apparently didn't understand English. Allen knew more Spanish than Kanda did and had been attempting to speak to the priest with no real results.

"Moyashi, make him understand that we're not here to destroy the chapel!" the Japanese exorcist growled when he reached his tolerance limit.

"I'm not fluent in Spanish, BaKanda, so be patient!" Allen hissed back. "Señor, por favor hablar lentamente—," **(1)  
**

The rather small Spanish priest threw up his hands and began yelling once again at Allen in his native tongue. Allen held up his hands to placate the priest but only succeeded in agitating him further. The priest was turning an interesting shade of purple the longer he screamed at the British exorcist.

"_Oi, Cabrón, quit laughing at Allen!"_

Kanda would never admit to anyone that he in fact jumped when he heard the familiar voice suddenly cut through his thoughts over his wireless transmitter. He glanced over at Allen and the priest, and when he was satisfied that no one saw him start, he took a few steps off to the side to deal with the caller. "I thought your wireless transmitter was broken, Bellerose."

"_It is, but Komui's working on a new one for me while I wait. He's also letting me man the other wireless transmitters until he gets back. It's quite entertaining. You should try it sometime, Kanda."_

"I'm glad we're entertaining you while you laze around."

"_Crutches and medical leave, Cabrón, does not 'lazing around.' And so says the guy that's not doing anything but laughing at Allen's plight."_

The Japanese exorcist scowled at Chloe's challenging tone. "What do you want, Bellerose?"

"_I can help you two get into the chapel so you can come back to Headquarters within the hour."_

"How?"

"_Turn on the portable golem and send it over to Allen."_

Kanda pulled the device from his coat pocket and switched it on. The bat-like machine looked at the Japanese exorcist expectantly until he walked over to where the priest was continuing to berate Allen. After several more seconds of listening to the little man screech, Chloe's voice filtered through the golem's circular speaker.

"_Disculpe, señor, pero no parece haber un malentendido," _she said in an authoritative, yet kind-sounding voice that instantly shut the priest up, _"Estos muchachos trabajan para el Vaticano. El Papa me pidió que estudiara retablo de la capilla, pero me enfermé. Los chicos son mis aprendices. Les envié en mi lugar para estudiar el retablo, así que por favor les permitirá acceder a su hermosa capilla para mí." _**(2)  
**

The priest glanced from Kanda to Allen to the golem bobbing through the air between them. After several seconds, the man shook his head and reached into his frock. "Lo siento. Hemos tenido tanta gente tratando de robar el retablo últimamente, así que asumí que estos dos también estaban tratando de tomar el retablo por sí mismos. Me disculpo." He turned and unlocked the chapel doors then glanced back at the golem.** (3)  
**

"_Entiendo. Esa es otra razón que el Papa quiere que examinar el retablo. Mis aprendices se asegurará de que ningún daño ha llegado a esta preciosa pieza de arte cristiano que el Vaticano quiere preservar. Le doy las gracias por su comprensión, Padre." _**(4)  
**

The priest smiled brightly and clasped his hands together. "Voy a dejar a sus aprendices a su trabajo," he said while stepping aside to let Kanda and Allen through. **(5)  
**

Allen and Kanda made their way to the chapel's altar and began "studying" the large, three-paneled work of art behind it.

"BaKanda, did you understand a word of what Chloe said?" the British exorcist said as he knelt down to look for the piece of Innocence under the altar.

"Why would I?" Kanda shot back as he leaned forward to examine the painting further. "_This _isart? The people don't even look realistic."

"You and Chloe seem like friends, so I didn't know if she was trying to make you more intelligent by teaching you other languages or something. And yes, _this_ is considered art. It's not like you're an art expert, BaKanda," Allen replied.

"Whatever you say, Moyashi."

Allen rolled his eyes and took a moment to study the altarpiece while Kanda searched behind the work for the Innocence. The Japanese exorcist spotted the glowing cube within arm's reach, and he effortlessly plucked the Innocence from its unnatural resting place in the railing surrounding the altar. Kanda shoved the piece of Innocence into his pocket then headed for the exit. Allen lingered for another moment before following after his Japanese comrade, and the priest thanked the exorcists profusely in a combination of broken English and Spanish as they walked away from the chapel at a steady clip.

"_Did you find the Innocence?"_ Chloe asked over the golem.

"We did. Thanks for your help, Chloe-san!" Allen replied as the Ark gate came into view.

"_No problem, Allen. I'll see you both in a few minutes."_

Which was a lie. When Allen and Kanda made it to Komui's office, only Komui was at his desk, and the man was grinning broadly at the two exorcists in a manner that didn't bode well for anyone in the vicinity. It was the look the scientist got when building one of his "Komurin" machines. Kanda and Allen glanced at each other and silently vowed to destroy the damn robot on sight should one appear.

"Did you recover the Innocence successfully?" the Chinese scientist asked.

"We had a little help from Chloe, but otherwise, yes, we did," Allen replied with a nod at Kanda.

The Japanese exorcist pulled the Innocence cube from his jacket pocket and placed in on Komui's desk. "Annoying priest wouldn't let us in for almost an hour, and it only took five minutes to locate the damn thing."

"It happens," Komui said as he leaned back in his chair. "All right, I need your written reports on my desk no later than tomorrow afternoon. Both of you are dismissed for the day."

Allen bounded out of the office when his stomach let out a monstrous growl, and Kanda followed slowly after the boy when his belly also rumbled in protest. He wondered vaguely where Chloe had gone as he walked down the hallway but quickly pushed the thought away. At least, the Japanese exorcist tried to push the thought away. One minute he was walking, and then suddenly his feet were flying out from under him. He hit the ground and blinked in confusion as a shadow fell over him. Chloe grinned down at the Japanese exorcist as she tossed her ponytail over her shoulder.

"The hell was that for, Bellerose?" Kanda asked while picking himself up off the floor.

Chloe let loose a laugh and sprinted down the hallway. Kanda grinned slightly when he noticed that the red-haired girl was _running_, and he quickly took off after the red-haired girl. Neither exorcist was aware of the attention they were getting from the other members of the Order as they fought their way through the sparsely filled hallway.

"The crutches are gone," Lenalee commented over the faint crashing noises and yelling in the background.

"So the first thing Chloe does when she's all healed is attack Kanda?" Allen said with a confused frown.

Lavi and Lenalee exchanged knowing glances then shrugged.

"Have any of you seen Chloe? Komui has something for her," Marie asked after rounding the corner.

"We've seen her," Lenalee replied.

"But we may not see her again for a while," Lavi added.

Marie tilted his head to one side and listened for several moments. "The crutches are gone."

Lenalee nodded. "They are."

"And Kanda was just given first hand knowledge of that fact," Lavi said with a smirk.

Marie grinned knowingly and said, "Ah. I'll let her know tomorrow then. Komui didn't make it sound like he needed to see her right away."

There was a loud _boom_ and a _thud_ then a _"WHEN I FIND YOU, YOU'RE DEAD, BELLEROSE!"_ echoed throughout the Order as Kanda stomped out of the training area and down the other hallway covered from head to toe in soot. Laughter filled the air behind Marie a moment later, and Allen, Lenalee, Lavi, and Marie turned and found Chloe doubled over against the wall shaking with amusement.

"Did you see his face?" she said between chuckles. "Priceless!"

"Your best friends are gone," Lenalee said with a smile.

"I finally ditched them! They were a bit too stiff for me, being made of wood and all," Chloe said. "Matron wouldn't let me burn them, though, even after I told her all the evil things the crutches did to me!"

Marie chuckled at the red-haired girl's childish tone. "Chloe, Kanda is making his way back around and will be here in about two minutes," he said.

"Right. Thanks, Marie!" Chloe said before taking off down the hallway leading toward the rooms.

True to Marie's calculations, Kanda appeared about two minutes later with an angry gleam in his eyes and Mugen partially unsheathed.

"Where'd she go?" he growled as he stopped in front of Lenalee, Lavi, Allen, and Marie.

They pointed in the direction Chloe had gone. "That way," the exorcists said in unison.

Kanda nodded and stalked forward without another word. As soon as the Japanese exorcist was out of earshot, everyone but Allen collapsed with laughter. Allen let out a sigh and glanced over at his snickering friends.

"What am I missing?" he asked.

"Allen-kun, Kanda and Chloe-chan are good friends," Lenalee said once she regained her composure.

"Yeah, and? Everyone knows that. Still a bit weird to even associate BaKanda with the word 'friend,' though—,"

"Moyashi, you're missing the point," Lavi said while slinging an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Yuu-chan and Rouge-chan are _very_ _good_ friends. Think about that for a minute."

Allen took more than a minute to contemplate what Lavi said, and his eyes widened as he gaped at hallway Chloe and Kanda had disappeared down. "You mean…they're…oh, _oh_," was all he could say when understanding dawned on him.

"I think he's broken," Lavi said when Allen began mumbling to himself.

"Kanda and Chloe tend to have that effect on people. Well, Kanda does at least," Marie said.

"This is true. Nii-san's not going to like hearing about the damage they caused since the repairs were finally finished yesterday," Lenalee said with a shake of her head. She glanced over at Allen with a concerned frown. "Maybe we should take him to the cafeteria? I'm sure Jerry's cooking can snap him out of it. Link—,"

"What's wrong with Walker?"

Lenalee and Lavi froze at the sound of Link's voice directly behind them, and Allen continued to ramble on incoherently while his friends tried to think of an explanation. Marie cleared his throat after a moment and turned to Link. "Allen is very tired and hungry since he just got back from his mission with Kanda. Lenalee suggested we take him to get something to eat but was unsure whether you would want us taking your charge without your knowledge, Junior Inspector," the blind exorcist stated. "What do you say, Link?"

Link glanced over at Allen, who had fallen silent but still had the stupefied expression on his face, then let out a sigh. "Lead on, Marie," he finally replied.

And so, the four exorcists and the junior inspector headed for the cafeteria. Allen eventually recovered the ability to think and speak coherently after consuming copious amounts of Jerry's cooking, and Link dragged the poor boy off to do paperwork. Lenalee, Lavi, and Marie stayed in cafeteria long after Allen was taken away and did what exorcists did best (besides killing akuma): they gossiped. Shamelessly.

* * *

**Translations *WITH HELP FROM GOOGLE TRANSLATE SO IT'S NOT MY FAULT IF STUFF'S WRONG*:**

**(1) ****Spanish = "Sir, please speak slowly—,"**  


**(2) ****Lots o'Spanish = "Excuse me, sir, but there seems to be a misunderstanding here. These boys work for the Vatican. The pope asked me to examine your chapel's altarpiece, but I got sick. The boys are my apprentices. I sent them in my place to study the altarpiece, so please allow them access to your beautiful chapel for me."**  


**(3) ****Spanish = "I'm sorry. We have had so many people trying to steal the altarpiece lately, so I assumed these two were also trying to take the altarpiece for themselves. I apologize."**  


******(4) ****Spanish = "I understand. That's another reason the pope wants me to examine the altarpiece. My apprentices will make sure no harm has come to this precious piece of Christian art the Vatican wants to preserve. I thank you for your understanding, Father."**  


******(5) "****Spanish = I will leave your apprentices to their work.**"  


Lots of translations today! Hope you liked it! (: Until next time!  
~B.R.136


	21. Chapter 21: Debouch

**Cross My Heart**

**Chapter 21: Debouch  
**

It was nearing midnight, but instead of being asleep as any normal exorcist would be at this same hour, Lavi was entrenched in the library. The Bookman apprentice had been in the library since early that morning, but he hadn't strayed far from his table or his growing pile of tomes for several hours.

Lavi started when a loud series of _thump_s broke the library's inherent silence, and he quickly glanced around at his large stack of books to see if any of them had fallen over for some reason. When he saw nothing out of place, the Bookman apprentice marked the page he was on and slowly got to his feet. Muscles he didn't know he had protested the change in position, but Lavi ignored the soreness as best he could while limping toward the tall shelves surrounding the table he'd taken over.

After passing by several empty sections, Lavi worried that his tired brain was playing tricks on him. The red head's sanity was vindicated a moment later when he saw a familiar general as he passed by another set of shelves. He strolled up to his fellow red head with a grin. "Ne, Rouge-chan, it's nice to see you in the library again. Come to keep a tired man company?"

Chloe slowly turned her head in Lavi's direction, and she blinked a few times as if coming out of a trance. "I'm sorry," she said as her blank expression morphed into a grin as well, "I completely zoned out. You were saying?"

"I was just stretchin' my legs and happened to see you. Wanted to say hey," Lavi replied without missing a beat. "Matron's going to be pissed if you get brought to her from overwork," he added. "I know you don't wanna have to go back to the infirmary anytime soon."

"I'll keep that in mind. I could say the same about you right now, actually." Chloe observed Lavi for a moment then said, "When was the last time _you_ slept?"

"Uh...Sunday?" the Bookman apprentice said for lack of better answer.

"Go to bed, idiot. I'll make sure no one touches your books," Chloe said while pushing her fellow red head toward the end of the aisle.

"But—,"

"And if Bookman gets mad, tell him to talk to me. I outrank him, after all. And if I see you in here before five hours have passed, I'll kick your ass. Are we clear?"

Lavi nodded as he bit down on the yawn threatening to spill from his lips. He had barely slept at all the past week or so, and the prospect of sleeping in a _bed_ instead of in a _chair_ or on the _floor_ sounded very promising to his exhausted mind. "Night, Rouge-chan. Have fun with my books."

If Lavi hadn't been so tired as he stumbled down the shelves toward the exit, he may have noticed the scattered books at Chloe's feet, the ashen hue of her face, or even the way she had to close her eyes and lean against the closest shelf with a shaky sigh once he was out of sight. Unfortunately for Chloe, the only other occupant of the library hadn't missed the young general's odd behavior, and she silently debated over going over to ask what was wrong with the red head or staying hidden in the shadows.

"Tevak, I know you're there," Chloe finally said. The Third exorcist flushed slightly at being caught, and she slowly made her way over to the general, who had yet to move. Tevak shifted uncomfortably when she was finally standing next to Chloe, uncertain as to what right she had to ask if the other girl was okay. "I'm fine, Tevak, just tired," Chloe replied before Tevak had a chance to speak up.

"Kanda Yuu says you can read minds. Is that true?" the Third exorcist inquired before she could stop herself.

Chloe chuckled. "I have the ability to do so, but I hardly ever have to use it. Don't tell Kanda that, though."

Tevak couldn't help but grin slightly in response. "I won't," the Third exorcist said. It was rather strange to be talking to another person about such trivial things, but it had been so long since she'd had a normal conversation with anyone. She vaguely wondered if this was what it felt like to have a friend.

"Glad to have you on my side, Tevak," Chloe said while opening her eyes. "By the way, how much trouble did I get you and Madarao into?"

"The inspector is having us monitored when we are sent out on assignments," Tevak replied with a scowl. "He wanted to send us back to Central, but there were too many missions and not enough personnel. We have an evaluation with him at the end of the month as well."

"That's not as bad as I thought your punishment would be," Chloe said.

Tevak shrugged. Having your every move scrutinized versus physical torture…She admittedly didn't mind the former as long as she could blow off some steam afterwards. At least she and Madarao didn't have a permanent "stalker" like Allen Walker did. Yes, the punishment could've been _much_ worse.

"So what brings you to the library at this hour, Tevak?" Chloe asked.

"I couldn't sleep," the Third exorcist replied.

"Me either," Chloe said while kneeling down to pick up her stack of books. "Grab the first book you see," she said as she got back to her feet, "it'll put you to sleep in no time at all."

Tevak hesitated for a moment then reached up and plucked a random book from the shelf. "Theories of Quantum Mechanics," the Third exorcist said after glancing at the thin volume's title.

"Sounds complicated. Should put you to sleep in no time."

Tevak nodded in agreement. "Are you really going to watch over Lavi's books all night?"

"I'm not _that_ generous," Chloe replied with a mischievous smirk. "They need be put in safe places. Want to help?"

The Third exorcist's eyes widened in surprise at Chloe's offer. "Is that an acceptable thing to do to a fellow exorcist?"

Chloe stared at Tevak for a moment. "I forget that we're not normal sometimes. That settles it then. Follow me, please." The red-haired girl led the way to the table Lavi had been occupying and dropped her stack of books on it. "All right, first things first," she said while picking up a tall stack of Lavi's books, "Tevak, can you see if Lavi has any blank sheets of paper in his notebook?"

While Tevak carefully went through the Bookman apprentice's things, Chloe disappeared among the shelves. Tevak watched curiously as the red-haired girl came back and forth several times until all of Lavi's books were gone, leaving only the boy's well used notebook behind.

"Good, he's got a sheet to spare," Chloe said. "Tevak, I need you to write something for me, if you don't mind."

Tevak nodded and sat down in the unoccupied chair while Chloe perched on top of the table.

"Dearest, nearly narcoleptic Bookman Junior," the red head began with a grin, "last night, whilst the great and wonderful General Chloe Bellerose was vigilantly keeping watch over your precious printed resources, a terribly devious trickster came into the library and hid all your things! In order to find your items, you must answer the following riddles correctly." Chloe paused for a moment and tapped her chin with a finger, "Now to actually think up the riddles…"

* * *

When Kanda woke up the next morning, he was momentarily surprised to see that his bed had gained a second occupant during the night. Said extra tenant was currently shifting restlessly beside him, and Kanda snaked an arm around the wriggling body and pulled it close, effectively trapping arms against his chest and legs between his. A warm puff of air tickled his neck a few moments later as the Japanese exorcist's bed-mate relaxed in his tight embrace.

"Odio pesadillas," Chloe eventually murmured into his shirt. **(1)**

"In English, Bellerose," Kanda said with a yawn.

Chloe started at the Japanese exorcist's voice. "You're awake?"

"I wouldn't be doing this if I was asleep."

"Actually—,"

Loud pounding on the door interrupted Chloe's thought. Both exorcists let out tired sighs and pulled the sheets over their heads in an effort to block out the sounds. When the heavy knocking continued, Kanda sat up with a growl.

"What do you want?!" the Japanese exorcist finally yelled at the door when the banging increasing in volume. The noise finally stopped, and Chloe chuckled softly while Kanda crossed his arms and glared at the door.

"_Kanda-san, it's Chaoji. Komui-san needs to see you in his office as soon as possible. Komui-san also would like for you to tell General Bellerose that she needs to drop by the Science Department before leaving this afternoon,"_ filtered through the door after a moment's hesitation.

"Leaving for where?" Kanda said to his bed-mate.

"Mission with Timothy," Chloe replied with an audible yawn.

"_Kanda-san?"_ came from the doorway to remind the two exorcists that they weren't alone.

"I heard you. Tell the sister-complex I'll be there when I get there."

"…_O-Okay."_

As soon as Chaoji had spoken, Kanda let his body fall back onto the bed with another sigh. "Not him," he murmured. "Anyone but _him_."

Chloe untangled herself from the sheets and smacked the Japanese exorcist lightly on the shoulder. "Be nice, Kanda. Besides, it's not like you're going to be _alone_ with Chaoji. Marie's going too," she said while resting her head on his chest.

"How do you know that?" Kanda asked. When Chloe didn't answer, Kanda hooked his hand around the back of the red-haired girl's head and pulled her forward until their faces were only mere inches apart. "Bellerose, how do you know that?" he asked again.

"I may have _persuaded _Komui to assign Marie to your mission with Chaoji," Chloe replied while refusing to make eye contact with Kanda.

Kanda stared at the red-haired girl incredulously. "Huh?"

"Komui mentioned that you were going out on a mission with Chaoji, so I _asked_ if Marie could come with you. Chaoji is still technically a new exorcist, and he's only been on simple missions with General Tiedoll, so it makes logical sense for General Tiedoll's two other 'students' to accompany their fellow student on his first mission without his 'master.' But—,"

Kanda interrupted Chloe's rambling by dragging her down the remaining distance between them for a kiss. "Thank you, Bellerose. I mean that," he said once he finally pulled away.

The red-haired girl grinned at him. "You are most welcome, Kanda. I know you'd do the same for me. Now go on before Komui sends out someone less frightened of you," she said while patting his cheek.

"Komui can wait a little while longer," Kanda said with a smirk. "It's not like I haven't been a few minutes late to a mission briefing before."

A few minutes turned into over half an hour, and Kanda walked up to Komui's office with Mugen slung over his shoulder, his jacket unbuttoned, and a large smirk. The expression immediately dropped from his face saw Marie approaching the office from the opposite direction.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one then. It's not usual for you to be late, Kanda," Marie said. "Although I suppose a few distractions now and then never hurt anyone," he added with a miniscule grin. "Chaoji was downright terrified when he came to get me, though. Do you know why?"

Kanda buttoned up his jacket in lieu of responding. "Let's just get this over with," he said before heading into Komui's office.

Komui, for his part, didn't seem perturbed by the exorcists' tardiness. In fact, he was downright cheerful. Komui's secretary was also conspicuously absent from the room. "Ah, Kanda-kun, Marie, so nice of you to join us! We can finally get down to business!"

As Komui began to chat, Marie and Kanda let out simultaneous sighs. Kanda reached out and placed a hand on Chaoji's shoulder. "When Marie says to run, do it," he hissed in Chaoji's ear.

Chaoji glanced at the Japanese exorcist in confusion. "Why, Kanda-san?" he whispered back.

"What follows Komui's speech is not pleasant," Kanda replied as he tuned back into Komui's one-sided conversation.

"Now, if the three of you would follow me..." Komui said while getting to his feet.

"Run!" Marie hissed before sprinting out the door. Kanda followed directly after the man with Chaoji hot on his heels.

"Marie, did you get the location?" Kanda asked as they ran.

"Of course! Chaoji, don't slow down! We're almost there!" Marie replied as the Ark room came into view. "You can breathe later!"

Kanda reached the landing first and quickly snapped out his code for the guard. Marie was right behind the Japanese exorcist, and Chaoji tumbled into the Ark after them just as Komui appeared in the Ark room trailed by his secretary.

"All I wanted to do was show them a diagram of the town they're going to!" Komui said.

"Sir, I told you not to do that while I'm gone. The exorcists seem to think you're up to no good when you give mission briefings by yourself," Bridget said.

"That's not true! I—,"

"There are 29 documented incidents in which you 'accidentally' spilled an unknown substance on an exorcist, 8 reports of damage caused by dealing with your wayward robots…"

Komui shook his head in denial even as Bridget followed him all the way back to his office spewing out details he didn't care to listen to. All he cared about now was the routine visit from Lenalee and the oh-so-wonderful coffee she would no doubt bring with her.

* * *

"So why are we splitting up again?" Timothy asked as he scanned the busy street.

"General Cloud Nine felt that it was time you got to take lead on your missions," Chloe replied. "And would you relax? It's not like I'm grading you or anything."

Timothy visibly relaxed at Chloe's teasing tone. He looked up at his fellow red head and said, "Why do you refer to the old hag so formally? Aren't you a general or whatever too?"

"Because I'm always respectful to my elders. You never know when they're listening." Chloe lowered her voice and continued on, "And just because I'm a general doesn't mean I don't have to be polite anymore. Your target is moving, by the way."

Timothy's attention whipped back to the street. "Crap!" the boy hissed before taking off into the crowd.

Chloe leaned back against the wall and grinned. "You get all that, Cloud?"

"_That brat's in for the training session of his life when he gets back!" _the other female general hissed back angrily.

"I'll keep him alive for you until then. Do you want to continue listening in when I check on Timothy in a bit?"

"_A video will be fine. I swear, I thought Emilia would've knocked some sense into him by now."_

Chloe reached into her coat and pulled out her inactive golem. She switched the device on with a flick of her finger. "Follow Timothy and record what he does," the red-haired girl ordered. Once the golem flew off, she said, "Unfortunately, Cloud, that boy's going to be a lady killer despite his mouth if Emilia is anything to go by."

Cloud Nine let out a long sigh. _"Inform me when he finishes the mission, please."_

"Will do."

Chloe pushed off the alley wall and blended into the afternoon foot traffic with practiced ease. She strolled down the busy street, glancing at several shop windows along the way, and she rubbed her chilled hands together while heading for a small cart advertising hot beverages at decent prices. Chloe ordered tea, and she was reaching into her pocket for her money when a gloved hand appeared on her arm.

"I am paying for this lovely girl's tea as well as one of my own," a masculine voice said as a warm weight settled on Chloe's shoulders.

Instinct had Chloe wanting to shrug the arm around her off, but she remained still until a steaming paper cup was held in front of her as a peace offering. She took the proffered beverage with a frown to draw attention away from her shaking hands. The man paid for the drinks then easily steered Chloe back into the crowd before she could think of running off. "You seem to be doing well," he said with a hint of a smirk.

"I could say the same about you. Aren't you supposed to be…you know…?" Chloe trailed off to glance at the people walking around her.

The man frowned and tightened his hold on the red-haired girl's shoulders a bit. "What? Were you hoping I was dead or something instead?"

Chloe scowled while forcing her fingers to relax so she wouldn't crush the flimsy cup. "Or something. What do you want?"

"Impatient, aren't you? I even came all this way—,"

"What do you want?" Chloe repeated.

The man let out a sigh as he released his grip on the red-haired girl. "I found the man you've been looking for. He's far safer than you're going to be. The other shoe's about to drop. I do hope you've realized that."

"You're supposed to be telling me things I don't already know. Besides that, you really should get lost. If you don't want to get caught—,"

"I've been playing this game longer than you have, _little girl_. Who saw through all your tricks to find you today?"

Chloe scoffed. "Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better."

The man let out a bark of laughter then downed the contents of his paper cup in one gulp. "You always had to one-up me didn't you? Glad to see you haven't really changed since I last saw you."

"Goodbye," Chloe said while shoving her full cup against the man's chest. "I hope we don't meet again anytime soon," she added before heading back in the direction she had originally been going in.

The man glanced down at the second cup in his hands with a sigh. "Me too, Kid, for both our sakes," he said while looking up and over his shoulder. "Maybe it's a good time to disappear now."

The two cups hit the ground a second later, and everyone continued on their way as if a man simply hadn't disappeared in front of them. One bystander, however, _did_ notice the fallen objects. He approached the now empty stretch of road and poked the empty cups with the toe of his boot. A frown made its way up the man's lips, and he walked deliberately over the cups as he slipped back into the crowd.

* * *

Chloe tried to keep the smile off her face as Timothy rattled off his first solo report to Komui. Cloud Nine was sitting beside the red-haired general on Komui's office couch, and the older female general was also keeping her expression carefully schooled, especially when Timothy would glance their way. When the boy finished his version of the events, Komui dismissed him, and the Chinese scientist turned to the two generals as soon as the door closed.

"Timothy may act like an immature brat, but he certainly has improved," Cloud Nine stated after a short silence. "He understands his abilities and their limits, and he knows when he should call for backup. I believe he is ready to go out on missions with the other exorcists."

"I agree with Cloud," Chloe said. "I would pair him with two older exorcists for the time being, but I also believe Timothy is ready for missions with everyone else. I videoed the mission if you want a look for yourself, Komui," she added while reaching into her jacket for her golem.

"Thank you for observing Timothy, Chloe-chan. Is there anything else you need to add to his report?" Komui asked once Chloe had placed the device on his desk.

Chloe shook her head after a moment's hesitation. "Timothy covered everything."

"All right. If there's nothing more to be discussed, you're both dismissed. Cloud, I'll send you a copy of Timothy's written report when I get it."

Cloud Nine nodded, and she glanced briefly at Chloe as they got to their feet. When the female generals were out of the office, Cloud said, "Thank you for looking after the brat for me, Chloe. I couldn't ask Froi because he'd baby Timothy too much, and Sokaro was very much out of the question."

"He'd eat the boy alive," Chloe agreed. "And you're welcome, Cloud. I'm glad I could help."

"Will we be seeing you for training tomorrow?" Cloud Nine asked as they walked.

"We?"

"Froi, Sokaro, and me."

"I see where this is going," Chloe said with a laugh. "Sure, I'll let the three of you throw me around for the sake of your egos. Where and when can I expect my inevitable beating to take place?"

Cloud Nine grinned. "Go to the Ark room at ten o'clock. I'll make sure to bring a first-aid kit for you in case things get messy."

"How thoughtful. Will I at least get to try out the Science Department's toy _once_ before I'm severely outclassed?"

"You give yourself too little credit, Chloe. I'm sure you'll get in at least two hits. _Maybe_."

"You're too kind. Thanks for the invitation. It gives me enough time to say my goodbyes before tomorrow morning."

Cloud Nine chuckled while patting the younger female general on the shoulder. "See you tomorrow. Don't let Kanda make you late," she added with a grin.

Chloe turned quickly on her heel and propelled herself down the hallway before Cloud Nine could see her rapidly reddening face. "Lenalee Lee, you're dead meat," she murmured as she rounded the corner and headed toward the Cafeteria. "But it can wait till after I eat," the red-haired girl added as she pushed through the double doors.

"Chloe-chan!" Jerry called when Chloe approached his counter. "Would you like a surprise, or would you rather have your usual for dinner today?"

"Today's been rather boring, so feel free to surprise me," Chloe replied with a grin.

"Coming right up!" Jerry sang as he turned back to work.

Chloe leaned her hip against the counter and closed her eyes. Slowly, she started block out the noises around her until she could only hear herself breathing, and she focused on relaxing each muscle as she waited. Jerry tapped Chloe on the shoulder when he was done and smiled as she took the proffered tray.

"I put a special ingredient in your tea as well. Enjoy, Chloe-chan!" the Indian cook called as Chloe headed toward the tables.

The red-haired girl sat down at the first empty table she saw and immediately picked up her teacup. She took a short sip of the warm liquid then smiled. "Jerry, you're my hero," she said before taking another, longer sip. Halfway through Jerry's "surprise," Lavi plunked down in the seat across from Chloe with a tired sigh. "Does Bookman still have you doing research?" Chloe asked.

Lavi nodded while passing a hand over his face. "I think I'm almost done, though. Thank _God_," he said. "How'd the mission with Baby Red go?"

"Who?"

"Timothy. The youngest of the red heads, hence 'Baby Red.'"

"It was fine," Chloe replied. "Here. You need this much more than I do at the moment," she said while holding out her cup to Lavi.

Lavi took the cup with a skeptical expression on his face, but he knocked the contents back in one go anyway. His eye widened slightly a moment later, and his mouth turned up in a mischievous grin as he handed the empty cup back to Chloe. "Jerry's givin' you special treatment, huh?"

Chloe rolled her eyes as she continued eating. She was nearly done when she felt something appear at her back, and she glanced over her shoulder with her fork still in her mouth. Kanda was standing behind Chloe with a tight, annoyed expression on his face. The Japanese exorcist reached out and grabbed Chloe by the back of the jacket without further ado, and he hauled the red-haired girl to her feet then transferred his grip to her closest hand. Chloe stumbled slightly as she was dragged away from the table, and she tossed her fork toward her tray and asked Lavi to clean up after her while Kanda pulled her toward the exit.

Lavi leaned his chin against his fist with a large grin as Chloe and Kanda disappeared from view. "Lenalee's gonna be _so_ jealous."

* * *

**Author's Note:**I'm really sorry it's been so long since I last updated! I ended up on crutches and trying to work through an injury and get through college at the same time. 'Twas a real bitch. Anyway, sorry again! Hope you liked the chapter! I'll do my best to get another chapter up as soon as I can!

BTW, **Lathya**, you are the bomb! That is all.


	22. Chapter 22: Vedette

**Cross My Heart**

**_Author's Note: So much shit has happened this year, it's not even FUNNY. Sorry for such a long wait between updates! I'm a terrible author! Please forgive me? I made this chapter really long (for me anyway). You're all welcome. Thanks to those who reviewed, and I'm sorry I took forever! Your reviews mean a lot to me, if you hadn't noticed! There may also be a surprise at the end...who knows? Please ignore grammar or spelling mistakes as I should have probably looked over this chapter once again before uploading it. Oh well!_  
**

**_To the AMAZING_ Lathya - You are a treasure, my friend! Your reviews always make me happy! Let me know if there's enough "ravishing" for your liking. (If not, I'm sorry? Gotta keep them in character?) Happy reading! I hope you enjoy it!**

_**To **_**AntagonizingExorcist**** - You reviewed so long ago (January is a long time ago for me anyway), and I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to answer you until now! I don't know of any websites for sayings at the moment. If that changes in the future, I'll let you know! And thanks! I've always loved learning new languages, so it was only natural I'd incorporate them here. Here's to hoping I got the grammar right, though! It's been awhile...Anyway. Thanks again!**

_**To **_**Juliedoo**** - Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me. I originally started writing this story to stave off boredom in English class and never thought it would get this far or this well liked. Seriously, you made my day with your review, especially the part about Chloe. This story wasn't originally supposed to be this long or a romance, so...thanks!  
**

_**To **_**DGMLover12564 - I'm glad you like it! No worries about Lavi or Yuu-chan. For now, anyway. ;)**

**Disclaimer: Chloe and Charlotte Bellerose are mine. If I owned the others or the plot that goes along with them, I'd be rich. I'm not, so there.**

* * *

**Chapter 22: Vedette  
**

"Kanda." Bellerose remained silent for several more moments then tried again, "Kanda—,"

"Shut up," the Japanese exorcist ground out while tightening his grip on the red head's hand.

"Oi—," Chloe began to say only to get jerked roughly around a corner. She willingly allowed him to drag her around for a few more minutes before digging her heels in and refusing to move any farther forward. When Kanda turned to glare at the obstinate red-haired girl, Chloe pressed one of the stones comprising the wall, and the slabs slid away under her hand until there was a space in the wall the size of a human. The red head dragged Kanda into the once hidden tunnel, and once they were inside, she pressed something else to close the wall back up. Darkness instantly swallowed the exorcists. "We're alone. Now tell—,"

Kanda wasn't interested in letting Chloe finish her sentence. Instead, he decided it was better to whip-crack the red-haired girl around and shove her against the now solid wall. The Japanese exorcist continued moving forward as Bellerose's back made a muffled _thump_ against the stone, and just when the red head was opening her mouth to protest the latest rough treatment, Kanda's mouth covered hers with surprising gentleness after all the manhandling from the past few minutes. Chloe didn't seem to be expecting such a move, so Kanda remained in full control for several long moments while the red-haired girl indecisively alternated between pushing and pulling on his shoulders. Whatever internal battle Chloe was fighting ended when Kanda tangled his fingers in her hair and angled her head back in such a way that a current seemed to pass between them. Chloe grabbed Kanda by the lapels and dragged him closer, forcing him brace his free arm on the wall beside her head as his body came flush against hers. Gentleness quickly gave way to roughness—teeth gnashed, tongues battled, and hands roamed indiscriminately.

In these few stolen seconds of privacy, Kanda and Chloe didn't have to worry about fighting, killing, and dying. They didn't have to wonder when everything was going to fall apart around them. They didn't need to pretend they were two of the few adults living amongst so many naïve children. There in the unlit passage they were one thing and one thing only: teenagers. And in true curious teenager fashion, Kanda and Chloe didn't let the lack of light keep them from exploring each other to their satisfaction. Here the exorcists didn't have to be exorcists. They could let their guards down and forget about the past, the present, and whatever future awaited them once they stepped out of the passageway. In the darkness's oddly comforting embrace, the Japanese boy and the red-haired girl had the opportunity to _feel _both physically and emotionally, a luxury usually reserved for normal teenagers, not for soldiers at war. The teenagers fought to enjoy every second of their respite until the prospect of passing out from the lack of oxygen was almost made a reality. Kanda and Chloe had to practically cling to one another in order to remain upright, and every passing touch sent electrifying shivers down both spines until the exorcists were all but vibrating in each other's arms.

"Stressed out?" Chloe asked after finally catching her breath.

"You tell me," Kanda said in return.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No."

Chloe let the conversation lull for a moment before standing on tiptoe to murmur in Kanda's ear, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Kanda swallowed dryly as he contemplated the offer. Chloe's question, proximity, and tone had gone straight down to the heat pooling low in his gut, making thinking and speaking very difficult tasks. "Magic us somewhere else," he finally murmured when he knew he could speak without stammering.

"Aye, aye, Kanda-_sama_." A blink later, the exorcists were standing just inside Chloe's room. "And now?" Chloe said as she tightened her grip on Kanda's jacket.

"Two rules," Kanda murmured as he reached behind Chloe to lock the door. "No talking"—Kanda's hands slowly traveled from Chloe's waist up to her neck—"and no stopping."

"And if we break one of these rules?" Chloe murmured as Kanda's fingers trailed along her jaw.

"Punishment," Kanda replied while tracing his thumb back and forth over Chloe's lips. "The rules go into effect…" the Japanese exorcist trailed off to close the distance between them, "_now_."

* * *

It was fascinating to watch as she completely charmed and disarmed the politicians. Whether it was her unique hair and eye colors or the way she radiated mysteriousness or how her fitted dress emphasized her _assets_, he didn't care. Bringing her along as his "personal secretary" was already more profitable than he had originally estimated. Just a few more minutes and everything would be in place. The thought of their inevitable success brought a smile to his face.

"Prime Minister, your daughter and your brother have arrived," Ms. Jones, another secretary, said softly from his side.

"Miss Bellerose, I'm stepping out for a minute. Hold down the fort for me," Sheryl said while getting to his feet.

"Of course, Mr. Camelot. I'll do my best," the red-haired woman said, taking a moment to look up from her note taking to smile at him.

"Ms. Jones, if you wouldn't mind helping Miss Bellerose, I would appreciate it," Sheryl said to the older woman at his side. "She is a very competent young woman, but she works much too hard and is not skilled at asking for assistance when she needs it, if you get my drift," he added to keep any suspicions from being aroused.

"Of course, Mr. Camelot," Ms. Jones said with a smile of her own.

Sheryl headed for the door, and as soon as the door clicked shut behind him, the Prime Minister smiled again when the first scream filtered through the heavy wood. He headed straight for his office and was pleased to find Road sitting on top of his desk and Tyki settled in the plush chair in front of her. "Road, Tyki, thank you for your visit. You're both a sight for sore eyes!" Sheryl said as he entered the office.

"Why did you want us to come by, _Brother_?" Tyki asked.

"I needed an excuse to get out of the way while Charlotte worked. Plus, do I need an excuse to see my brother and my daughter?"

"Is Charlotte doing what the Earl wanted her to do?" Road asked while swinging her legs back and forth.

"Yes and with a surprising twist," Sheryl replied. "She should be here right about…now."

Charlotte waltzed through the door at that moment. She was covered in blood splatter, and she was grinning maliciously as she ran a bloody hand through her loose red hair. "Brother Sheryl, the game is afoot," she said.

"How did it go?" Sheryl asked while heading over to his desk. He opened a drawer and withdrew a towel to hand to Charlotte.

"Easily enough. The earl makes his akuma well," the red-haired Noah said while wiping her hands and face with the towel.

"How long until we see results?" Tyki asked.

Charlotte's smile gained a new level of intensity. "Very soon. I guarantee it."

* * *

_Kanda didn't know what came over him, but he suddenly wanted to see Chloe Bellerose. No, the Japanese exorcist didn't just want to see the red head. He needed her. And he needed her _**right now**_. The walk to his room was taking way too damn long, so Kanda opened the first door he saw and pulled Chloe into the room after him. Darkness flooded the room once the door was closed._

"_Kan—,"_

"_Shut up," Kanda ground out while moving closer to Chloe. "Just shut up."_

"_Hey—_mmph_!" Before the red head could try to say anything else, Kanda tangled his fingers in her hair and dragged her forward for another kiss, letting his free hand wrap around her waist and—_

_**BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!**_

Kanda shot up and was up on his feet with Mugen unsheathed before his brain could inform him of several important things: he was alone in his room, he had previously been asleep, and someone was pounding loudly on his door. The Japanese exorcist turned on a light, sheathed his blade, then stomped over to the door with a scowl. Kanda opened the door with every intention of beheading the person who had woken him so rudely, but his expression immediately morphed into confusion when he saw just who was staring back at him. General Cloud Nine was standing there with a slight grin on her normally impassive face. And swaying on her feet beside the blonde-haired general was one Chloe Bellerose. The first thing Kanda noticed was that Chloe's clothes were ripped to the point that her shirt was hanging precariously from one shoulder and practically torn off at her midsection, and one pant leg was missing from the knee down along with her boot. The second thing Kanda noticed was Chloe wasn't actually standing on her own. Cloud Nine was holding Chloe up with one hand gripping the girl's closest arm since her eyes were closed and her head was tipped forward.

"The generals had training this morning," Cloud Nine said after a moment of stunned silence.

"It's night now," Kanda said incredulously. No wonder Bellerose looked half-dead. They'd trained for nearly twelve hours running. Cloud Nine's response was a shrug. "Why'd you bring her here?" the Japanese exorcist asked.

"She's in no condition to take care of herself at the moment," Cloud Nine said while releasing Chloe's arm. Chloe apparently had no more strength or desire to remain upright, so she simply allowed her body to fall once Cloud Nine's support was gone. Kanda hooked an arm around Chloe's back and pulled her to his chest so she wouldn't hit the floor. "I leave Chloe in your capable hands," Cloud Nine said before turning on her heel and walking away.

"Hello, Kanda," Chloe murmured against his shirt.

"Hello, Bellerose," the Japanese exorcist said while dragging the red-haired girl into his room so he could shut the door. Chloe mechanically stumbled after the Japanese exorcist, and she let out a confused grunt when Kanda sat her down on the bed. "Take off your clothes," Kanda said as he reached for the bottom of his shirt.

"You certainly get straight to the point," Chloe said with an audible grin.

"If that's what I wanted, I wouldn't be _asking_," Kanda retorted while pulling his shirt over his head. He chucked the garment in Chloe's direction then moved toward the door to lock it back. There was the soft rustling of cloth then a muffled _whump_ followed by a sigh. Kanda chanced turning around and saw Chloe sprawled across the bed with her eyes closed. Her boots and ruined clothes were piled neatly beside the bed. But that wasn't what caught Kanda's attention. His gaze slowly traveled up from Chloe's feet to her knees to her—"Eyes up here, Cabrón," Chloe said, startling Kanda out of his trance. The Japanese exorcist scowled when he saw that Chloe was smirking and that her eyes were still closed.

"Move over, Bellerose," Kanda said while crossing the room. Chloe started to roll over but suddenly stopped and grabbed at her right shoulder. "What's wrong with you?" Kanda asked when the red head let out a pained noise.

"Shoulder hurts," Chloe replied in a strained tone. "Give me a sec—,"

Kanda grabbed the red head's arm and hauled her up to a sitting position, eliciting another noise from the girl. "Sit on the edge of the bed," the Japanese exorcist ordered while releasing Chloe's arm.

"Move over, sit there, what's next? Take off your clo_OOOhhh_," Chloe ended with a long sigh. Kanda hadn't waited on her to follow his direction. Instead, he had climbed onto the bed behind the red-haired girl and began kneading her shoulders while she was distracted. Chloe unconsciously moved closer to the edge of the mattress as Kanda pushed his fingers and knuckles into her shoulders and upper back over and over again, gradually easing the tension from her body. The Japanese exorcist worked in silence until he reached Chloe's shoulder blades.

"Lean forward," Kanda said when he reached a particularly stubborn knot. Chloe didn't have to be told twice, and she let out a pained hiss as Kanda pressed even harder on the area. "What'd they do, make you a moving target?" he asked.

"Something like tha—_Ah!_ That's the spot!"

"Sorry," Kanda murmured in apology as he increased the pressure on Chloe's shoulder. The Japanese exorcist winced when he felt muscular spasms suddenly erupt under his fingers, and he quickly wrapped his arms around Chloe's waist when she bonelessly pitched forward. "Breathe through it," he said while pulling the red head to his chest.

"Easy—for you—to say," Chloe hissed between shallow breaths. "So many _spasms_!"

"Those weren't just from today," Kanda said. Chloe let her head flop back against the Japanese exorcist's shoulder and was about to reply when there was another heavy set of knocks on the door. Kanda reluctantly disentangled himself from Chloe and headed across the room toward the source of the incessant knocking. With a scowl, Kanda yanked his door open again and found Howard Link staring back at him. "The hell do you want?" Kanda hissed while crossing his arms.

"Do you know General Bellerose's whereabouts?" Link asked.

"Why would I know?"

"General Nine walked General Bellerose in this direction and then left alone shortly afterward. General Bellerose is not in her room, and since you are someone General Bellerose is usually seen with, I assumed you would have an idea of where she currently is."

"Why do you need to know where Bellerose is?"

Link let out a short sigh. "Do you know where she is or not?" he asked with a hint of exasperation in his tone.

"Why do you need to know?" Kanda repeated.

"Inspector Leverrier needs to ask her a few questions."

"About what?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Link admitted. "Do you know where Chloe is?"

"The generals were training from morning until now. Check the cafeteria," Kanda said after several silent moments.

"Thank you for your help, Kanda," Link said before turning on his heel and walking away. Kanda closed and locked the door after the junior inspector. He didn't want to be concerned. Chloe could take care of herself. But knowing Leverrier wanted something with her made him anxious nonetheless. He shook his head and turned back around.

"Bellerose…" the Japanese exorcist trailed off with a sigh. Chloe had dozed off while Kanda was talking to Link, but she was still sitting at the end of the bed where the Japanese exorcist had left her. Kanda tried to suppress the chuckle bubbling up from his chest—Bellerose needed sleep, after all—but the sound escaped from his lips despite his efforts. Chloe started awake at the noise and stared at Kanda in confusion. The expression, coupled with her unruly hair falling in her eyes and the oversized shirt swallowing her thinner frame, made Bellerose look like a lost child. Kanda's chuckles erupted into something akin to a harsh sounding laughing fit, and he was so engrossed in his growing mirth that he was nearly thrown to the ground by a well thrown pillow hitting him square in the face. The Japanese exorcist removed the offending object from his line of sight and saw Chloe glaring back at him through her long fringe. She smirked while reaching behind her back for another pillow.

"You're dead, Bellerose," Kanda said in his most menacing tone as he stalked toward the bed, pillow held tightly in one fist. Chloe's response was to climb onto the fully onto the bed and stand up, brandishing her own pillow in front of her like a soft shield.

"Bring it on, Cabrón!" she challenged with a laugh. Kanda didn't need further encouragement. The Japanese exorcist swiped his pillow at Chloe's legs in an attempt to disturb her precarious balance. Chloe dodged the blow and retaliated by bopping Kanda on the head with her pillow with a triumphant cackle. Kanda scowled and tossed his pillow at Chloe's face, distracting the red head long enough to be able to grab the sheets she was standing on. Chloe let out a surprised noise as her feet were forcibly pulled out from underneath her, and she landed on her backside in time to watch Kanda pounce. The Japanese exorcist immediately grabbed at the girl's wrists and smirked as he worked to pin her writhing body to the mattress. "You insufferable jerk!" Chloe said with another laugh as she continued struggling.

"Not my fault you weren't aware," Kanda said while entangling his legs with Chloe's legs. "Face it, Bellerose, I win," he added with an even bigger smirk. Chloe went limp in defeat and let out a long, jaw-cracking yawn.

"I'm tired," the red head stated a moment later.

"Too bad. I was asleep till you got here," Kanda said with no sympathy whatsoever.

"As if Cloud gave me a _choice. _Hmph. I'm going to sleep."

"No, you're not."

"What're you gonna do about it, Kanda-_sama_?" Chloe challenged as her eyelids drooped. Kanda glanced down at his hands then smirked.

"_This_." Kanda started wiggling his fingers up and down the red-haired girl's sides. Chloe's eyes shot open, and she wriggled desperately underneath the Japanese exorcist as laughter spilled from her lips. "You seem awake now, _Bellerose_," Kanda said as he continued tickling her. Chloe smacked half-heartedly at his chest and tried to flip their positions, but she was laughing too hard and Kanda's fingers were moving too quickly for her to keep up with.

"OwowowowHahaha—_Kanda_,** please**!" Chloe gasped out with a giggle. "St—Sto—_ah_!"

"What's that?" Kanda said without letting up one bit. Chloe suddenly wrapped her arms around Kanda's neck and pulled his upper half flush against her own, pinning the Japanese exorcist's arms between their bodies. "Bellerose, what're you-,"

"If you wanted to cop a feel, all you had to do was ask," Chloe murmured in Kanda's ear when his trapped hands came to rest at her waist. "You've had your fun. Can I sleep now?"

"I'm just getting started, Bellerose," the Japanese exorcist said while dipping his head even lower so his lips brushed the girl's throat. Chloe shivered in anticipation and gripped Kanda's neck even tighter.

* * *

Kanda carefully dug through his closet for a shirt, trying to be as quiet as he could so he wouldn't wake the red-haired girl sleeping soundly in his bed. He was going to find out what Leverrier was scheming before Bellerose could get herself in trouble with the inspector's scheming. The Japanese exorcist pulled a sleeveless shirt over his head and glanced over at the bed. Chloe was still curled up on her side with her hair strewn about everywhere and one leg sticking out from under the covers. If he kept staring at the red head, he knew he wouldn't be able to go through with his plan. _**Bellerose can kick me around all she wants for this later,**_ Kanda thought while inching toward the door. Chloe made a sleepy noise and rolled over just as the Japanese exorcist opened the door, but after a moment's hesitation and no other noises, Kanda slipped out into the hallway. He headed for the private rooms and found the inspector holed up in a bloodstained suite no one in the Order spoke about. Leverrier glanced up when Kanda knocked lightly on the open door, and he smiled politely as he turned in his chair to greet the Japanese boy.

"Kanda, I wasn't expecting to see you. Please have a seat," Leverrier said while motioning toward the empty chair in front of him. Kanda took his place at the small table, ignoring the assortment of cakes and the expensive china while the inspector continued his sugary meal and tea. "How are you this fine morning, Kanda?"

"What do you want with General Bellerose?" Kanda asked. He was in no mood to beat around the bush, especially not with Leverrier.

"I don't know what—,"

"Cut the crap, Inspector. You sent your pet stalker to try and figure out where she was."

"Kanda Yuu, know your place," Leverrier said with a frown. "As a Second exorcist—,"

"This place owes me for all the shit I was put through for the sake of 'vanquishing evil.' You of all people know that, _Inspector_," Kanda hissed while getting to his feet. "Don't mess with Bellerose if you know what's good for you," the Japanese exorcist said before turning on his heel and heading for the door.

"Is that a threat, Kanda?" Leverrier said.

Kanda paused momentarily in the doorway to let his next words take full effect. "No. It's a promise."

* * *

The next afternoon, Chloe and Kanda were sent out on separate missions. The only obvious hand Leverrier had in the mission assignments was the fact that Howard Link was placed on Chloe's mission. Chloe didn't seem to be bothered by the last minute addition, so Kanda let it go for the time being. Leverrier wasn't directly "messing" with Bellerose, at least not at the moment. Kanda left for his mission feeling somewhat better but something still nagged at him as he stepped through the Ark gate. Bellerose could take care of herself.

Oh how they were all so mistaken...

It happened so fast no one could move.

Chloe was leading the way with her attention on the hand drawn map she had gotten from the kind old woman who had served them lunch in return for saving her from a lone akuma. Lenalee and Allen trailed a few paces behind the red head chatting like teenagers are prone to do. Link silently brought up the rear of the group, and he alternated between watching Allen and watching Chloe as they walked through the French countryside.

The sun had nearly set by the time the group arrived at the outskirts of a town. Allen and Link were assigned to find lodgings while Lenalee and Chloe searched for sustenance. After half an hour, the group met at the rendezvous point and headed for the café Lenalee had found. Dinner proved to be an uneventful affair, and the three exorcists and the junior inspector were soon making their way back to their rented rooms. That's when all Hell broke loose.

A gunshot suddenly rang out then Chloe's body was wrenched skyward by an unseen force. When Link took a step in the red-haired general's direction, he was picked up off his feet and thrown into a nearby building. Allen and Lenalee instantly moved in opposite direction, but Allen quickly found himself being yanked through a very solid door. Lenalee was able to get three steps in Chloe's direction before she was sent spiraling into a shop window. Silence fell over street as two figures materialized from the shadows. The pair, one male and one female, was dressed completely in white and had similar black stigmata crossing their foreheads.

"My, my, your plan worked splendidly, Lotte-chan," the white-haired man said as he surveyed the damage.

"Sheryl told you not to doubt me, Wisely," the red-haired woman said in a tone laced with contempt.

"I apologize for second guessing you," Wisely said with a deep bow. The psychic Noah straightened up and glanced up at the barely conscious general trussed up in the air above him. "What do you plan to do with that one?"

"I need to borrow something from her then we can leave," Charlotte replied while raising one hand. The thin, almost invisible wires slowly lowered Chloe Bellerose's body until the tip of the girl's boots lightly brushed the ground. Charlotte murmured something under her breath then reached for the front of Chloe's uniform. The Noah didn't bother unfastening the buttons; she simply tore open the jacket then slammed her palm against Chloe's sternum just millimeters away from the weeping hole under the girl's collarbone. The general let out a hiss and tried to back away from the agonizing touch only to have the wires coiled around her body tighten in response, holding her still and completely immobile. "Don't fight it," Charlotte murmured as she stepped closer to Chloe. A faint glow surrounded the Noah's hand then thin tendrils of pale blue light began to flow from the general's chest into the palm resting on her breastbone. Wisely had no indication of what his fellow Noah was doing, but it was obviously quite agonizing for the exorcist—every muscle in the red head's body was visibly tensed, and blood was beginning to drip from the girl's shirt down to the road beneath her feet.

"Don't do this," the female general hissed as the light continued to seep from her chest. "Don't help those bastards—_ah_!" the general ended with a pained cry.

"I'm doing this for the greater good, Chloe Bellerose," Charlotte said softly. The red-haired general stared at the Noah until her head involuntarily drooped in a combination of pain and apparent exhaustion. Wisely decided to eavesdrop on the teenaged general's surface thoughts as Charlotte worked her magic. The red-haired exorcist seemed to know something about Charlotte's actions.

_ShitshitshitshitIdiotdoesn'tknowwhatshe's—Getyoura ssouttamyheadPendejo. PodríamatarteconsolodedoVenaquíVoyademonstrarensuc ara— _**(1)**

The white-haired Noah wisely cut the connection from his mind to the red-haired general's, and he nearly took an involuntary step back when he found Chloe Bellerose's eyes locked on him. Her blue-green irises were tinged with dots of crimson that seemed to be growing larger the longer he remained the focus of the teenager's attention. Fear began to fill the Noah, and he suppressed the urge to shiver and turned his attention to Charlotte "How much longer, Lotte-chan? I believe the other exorcists are waking back up," Wisely said while breaking eye contact with the general's chilling gaze.

"I'm finished," Charlotte replied. She stepped back and removed her hand from Chloe's chest. "That's all I need. Thanks for your contribution, General Bellerose. We'll be going n—," the Noah was interrupted by the sound of taunt wires snapping. Chloe's left fist lashed out and struck Charlotte hard in the jaw, throwing the red-haired Noah back several steps. Chloe was still entangled in wires, but her left forearm was bleeding freely from several places where wires had previously been. Wisely stepped in front of his comrade prepared to give the red-haired exorcist the headache of a lifetime, but Charlotte placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him back. "Leave it to me, Wisely," the female Noah said while flicking her wrist. The remaining wires disappeared into thin air, dropping the injured general unceremoniously onto the hard ground. Wisely winced when the red-haired exorcist's body hit the ground with a loud _thwack_, but Charlotte's expression remained blank as she moved to stand over the general. "Tu es tellement têtu, peu guerrier. Je fais ça pour vous," Charlotte said with a frown. **(2)  
**

"Qu'est-ce que vous la planification, Charlotte?" the general murmured as she rolled onto her back. Her hand was inching down her side toward something at her hip. Wisely opened his mouth in warning only to watch Charlotte effortlessly step down on the general's wandering hand then on the general's bullet wound with the free foot. **(3) **

"Ne pas gâcher tout ça, Chloé. Nous sommes trop près maintenant." **(4)** Charlotte leaned more weight on the foot pressing down on the general's injured shoulder and smirked when the teenager let out an agony-filled scream that echoed off the surrounding buildings.

"Vous…Vous pouvez les arrêter, vous n'êtes pas un vrai—," **(5) **There was a muffled _crackcrackcrack_ then another yell rang out through the night. The general's breathing suddenly became erratic, and she tried pulling her trapped hand out from under the Noah's foot to no avail.

"Be quiet, _Sister_," Charlotte hissed as she took a step away from the exorcist. "Wisely, knock her out. You don't have to be gentle."

"But—,"

"Wisely, my sister will not stop until she is unconscious. Unless you want to be shot, use those freaky abilities of yours and get it over with." Wisely looked over at the red-haired general and saw the teenager pointing a large silver revolver in his direction. Instinct had the Noah using his power to deliver a hard psychic blow before he could find himself shot full of Innocence. The general didn't stand a chance in her condition—she was unconscious before her head and gun hit the ground a moment later. A thin trail of blood trickled from the exorcist's nose and the corners of her eyes.

"The general knew what you wanted with her, Lotte. Should we bring her with us?" Wisely asked.

"Of course Chloe knew what I wanted. She's my sister," Charlotte said. "Her part in the plan has only just begun. We don't need to take her with us. She'll come to us soon enough."

* * *

**OMAKE/ASIDE (Never written one before, so bear with me!)  
**

It was a rare occasion for all the young exorcists (young in the sense of being under the age of twenty) to be at Headquarters at the same time. Most of the time, the teenaged exorcists would congregate briefly in the Cafeteria around lunchtime before heading off to relax and kill time in their own ways. Lavi would usually aim for the library to catch up on his Bookman duties. Kanda could be found in the training area or the meditation room. Inevitably, Allen would find himself following after the Japanese exorcist in an attempt to start a fight to keep his mind off things. Lenalee often spent part of the day with her brother and the Science Department then would retire to her room. Chloe was the only teenaged exorcist/general who never spent all her free time in one particular place. Sometimes she would make herself at home in the library; other times she would meditate or train with whoever was in either area. Most of the time, she would wander around until something peaked her interest or would go to bed to catch up on much needed rest.

On one fateful day when the teenaged exorcists were all in the building again, the group remained in the Cafeteria long after their meals were finished swapping stories with each other. So far, Allen was leading the way with his limitless horror stories about his apprenticeship under General Marian Cross. Lenalee had enough bizarre tales of her own about the Science Department and her older brother, and Kanda even chipped in with a memory or two since he and the Chinese exorcist had grown up together with the quirky scientists. Lavi was taking turns weaving tales of famous rulers and long forgotten civilizations, but most of his stories ended in jokes and laughs as Allen, Lenalee, Kanda, and Chloe tried to figure out whether the Bookman apprentice was telling the truth. Chloe was the only one that hadn't actively contributed a story, which was why Lenalee targeted her directly when Allen finished yet another tale about General Cross and his debt-incurring situations.

"Chloe-chan, didn't you have a mission in India at some point?" Lenalee asked while turning in her chair to face the red-haired girl.

"Some time ago, yeah," Chloe replied after a sip of tea. "We had to identify a Conformer who was related to a past Order scientist."

"We? It was a partner mission?" Lenalee said.

"Kanda was with me. You remember that mission, right Cabrón?" Chloe said with a look in Kanda's direction. The Japanese exorcist, stuck between Lavi and Allen across the table from Chloe and Lenalee, refused to do much more than nod in response to Chloe's inquiry. "It was pretty easy overall. The kid was nice, and his mother was a _phenomenal _cook. The hardest part was sharing a bed that night," Chloe said. Kanda's eyes widened slightly, and he looked ready to bolt at any second.

"You two shared a bed? Details, Rouge-chan! Details!" Lavi exclaimed excitedly. "Yuu-chan, you sly dog! You never told me about that!"

"Volume, baka Usagi. Volume," Kanda said while clapping his hands over his ears. "I don't have to tell you anything about my life."

"But I thought we were best friends, Yuu!" Lavi whined as he sagged against Kanda's side. Kanda roughly shoved the Bookman apprentice and started to stand up only to have Allen drag him back down to his seat.

Kanda bristled in anger and slapped Allen's hand from his shoulder. "Moyashi, what the fu—,"

"Chloe wasn't finished yet, Kanda. You should be polite and listen to the entire story," Allen said in a sickeningly polite tone.

"There's not much to tell," Chloe said in an attempt to help Kanda.

"I'm sure there's more than you think, Chloe-chan," Lenalee said with a grin. "Do continue."

"We stayed at the boy's house while he decided whether to come back with us or not, and unfortunately, there was only one extra room in the house. Kanda and I shared the only bed in the room since it was quite big," Chloe said.

"How did you manage to get Bakanda to share the bed with you?" Allen asked out of curiosity.

"Logic," Chloe replied. "Large, comfortable bed or hard wooden floor. You take your pick."

"It's _Kanda_ you're talking about here," Lenalee said with wink at the Japanese exorcist. "That's some clever _logic_, Chloe-chan."

Chloe let out a sigh and shook her head. "You three want to know if something _romantic_ happened that night. I can honestly reassure you, _nothing like that happened_. That's final, okay?" Lenalee, Lavi, and Allen let out simultaneous groans of frustration. Kanda and Chloe glanced at each other then got to their feet.

"Where're goin', Rouge-chan? You too, Yuu," Lavi asked as the two exorcists inched away from the table. Chloe sent Kanda a _You're-totally-gonna-hate-me-for-this-but-I'm-not- sorry-at-all_ look then smiled at Lavi, Lenalee, and Allen.

"_**We**_ are going to remember what happened the night after the India mission. You three are not invited," Chloe said before sashaying toward the exit. Kanda smirked then followed after the red-haired girl. Allen, Lenalee, and Lavi stared after their friends in two-parts shock and one-part awe.

"Nothing really happened that night either," Kanda said once they were in an empty hallway.

"Just because it was innocent doesn't mean it was nothing, Kanda," Chloe said with a grin.

"You say that like what we've been doing lately isn't 'innocent.'"

"You naughty boy! So _that's_ why you wouldn't talk to me this morning. You were—,"

Kanda's face instantly flushed. "Oi, I was _not_—,"

"I'm only joking, Cabrón," Chloe said while punching the Japanese exorcist lightly on the arm. "Although, I wouldn't mind waking up like we did in India again."

"So I'm not a pervert for that anymore?" Kanda asked blandly.

"Oh, don't be so sensitive. I only said that to piss you off."

"It worked," Kanda grumbled.

"I know," Chloe said with a smirk. "By the way, where are you taking me?" she asked while scanning their surroundings.

It was Kanda's turn to smirk. He walked over to the only door in sight and opened it. "We're going to _remember_, Bellerose."

"Is that a closet, Kanda?"

"How observant, Bellerose. Get in the closet."

"That's what serial killers usually say before…you know."

"…_Bellerose_!"

* * *

**That's all, kiddos! Hopefully I have satisfied you for now. Thought I'd give you a little laugh before the chapter ended this time. I make no promises for a rapid update, but I'll do my best.**** Let me know what you think, kay? Thanks!  
**

**Translations:****(1) ********Spanish: …Bastard.** ******I could kill you with one finger. Come here. I'll demonstrate on your face—****  
****(2) ********French: You're so stubborn, little warrior. I'm doing this for you.**  
(3) **French: What're you planning, Charlotte?**  
(4) **French: Don't mess this up, Chloe. We're too close now.**  
(5) ******French: You can stop them, you're not a true— ****  
**


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